


Break of Dawn

by TorikkiJ



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF Haruno Sakura, Break of Dawn, Good Guys, Hashisaku, I do what I want, I suck at tagging, Madasaku - Freeform, Mokuton User Haruno Sakura, Mokuton!sakura, Multi, MultiSaku - Freeform, OC, Rewrite, Sakura has mokuton which should've been canon, Time Travel, Twinning, Twins, but i can listen to your advice, canon? the hell is that?, foundersxsakura, heiresses to the Uzumaki clan, i really want one beta tho, inspired by the works of vesperchan and winged lady colette, no beta we die like men, reviews and comments are really appreciated, sakura and mito the uzumaki twins, tobisaku
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 26,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24857515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TorikkiJ/pseuds/TorikkiJ
Summary: She refused to be left behind. She didn't realized it meant she'll be the one who leaves first.
Relationships: Haruno Sakura & Uzumaki Mito, Haruno Sakura/Senju Hashirama, Haruno Sakura/Senju Tobirama, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Madara
Comments: 57
Kudos: 448
Collections: Strong BAMF Sakura





	1. End of a Disaster

_"I think you forget often,_

_that I am not as strong as I pretend to be."_

* * *

_"Oh god, Sakura-"_

_All she could see was the sky, blue and vast. Then she blinked, and realized it was a pair of eyes. Naruto. Naruto was crying and her stomach lurched at the sight. It was so wrong, so different from her bright golden boy. Her Naruto should be smiling._

_"-stay! Stay with me, please please-!"_

_She wanted to speak, to tell him she wasn't going anywhere. Nothing came out of her mouth except blood. She tried to touch him, her golden boy, but she can't feel her arms. Did she still have them? She didn't know. Blinking away the tears in her eyes, she could finally see how Naruto was pushing her innards in her body. So her stomach lurched after all._

_"Kakashi-sensei! Over here!"_

_'No.' Sakura wanted to tell Naruto. She didn't want to let Kakashi see her like this. She didn't want Naruto to see her like this. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. She was on Naruto's lap, his hand on her head and her stomach sending chakra that just burnt her more than help her. Sakura would laugh if she could, but the only thing going out her throat was blood._

_"Sakura don't you dare leave me, shit-"_

_Sakura prayed that Naruto could read her mind so she could tell him how much she loved him, how much she loved them, her boys. Tell him that she was so sorry to be the one to go. Tell him that he's going to be the best Hokage their village has ever seen. Tell him she wished she could see it. Looking at his face, Sakura wondered where all his sunshine went. Worn away. His kilowatt smile tarnished by the years and the wear. Her boy was a man now, and how funny was that she always wanted for Naruto to mature. Now he was and all Sakura wanted was to go back to their gennin days. He was still talking nonsense to her about Shizune was on the way, about the camp being safe because of her, about Sasuke massacring the left over Zetsu strewn around._

_"Sakura."_

_Then without warning, Kakashi was in front of her. His hands were on her face, on her hair. She couldn't feel his touch with how light it was, or maybe its because she couldn't feel her skin. He looked like he was choking, Sakura didn't like it at all. His black eyes were looking at her face as if ingraining her in his head. Sakura saw her reflection in his eyes and it made her want to close her eyes, but she didn't. This was the last time she'll ever see her boys. The last time in this lifetime. Sakura hoped in the next, the world would be more merciful._

_"-aruto, stop. You're burning her- she's, she's- gone-!"_

_Oh how she's going to miss them._

* * *

Sakura was five when she remembered her golden boy.

It was dark, and the air was heavy but little Sakura needed to go to the bathroom. She didn't notice how the torches lining their hallway were out. The moon was bright, and gentle. The moon peeked through the windows and lit her way. She wasn't aware how wrong it was to have no one attending her. She always wanted to be an independent child. All she could remember was that dream of hers, a bright boy crying. Sakura wanted to cry with him but she wasn't a baby anymore so she shouldn't cry.

When she was returning to her room and saw a man in black standing in front of her door, then she nearly cried. _**Ever the cry baby, aren't we?**_ He saw her immediately. Those yellow eyes staring at her. It made Sakura feel like she was going to be swallowed whole. She felt like choking, her body was heavy. **_Snake. Snake bastard_** _._ Her mind screamed at her to run, to hide from the snake but Sakura didn't know where the snake was. She stood rooted on the spot, her heart beating loudly in her ears. Then it dawned on her. The man was the snake, and she understood it deep within her bones when those piercing eyes gaze at her. Her sister was still in there. _Mito was still in there._

"Who are you?" Her voice was squeaky, and she must've sounded like a mouse. When she blinked once, the mysterious man was already crouching in front of her. Sakura didn't have the chance to tense up, because she already was the moment she saw this man.

"Ah, what a cute rabbit. How about you tell me your name first?" His voice was deep and smooth. Sakura could smell the blood on him. _She was five, she doesn't know the smell of blood yet._ He was amused, Sakura could tell, at how she was scared of him.

"My name's Uzumaki Sakura." Something was strange. Her name felt strange when she said it. It felt wrong on her lips.

"Sakura-chan," The man touched her cheeks, she flinched. His hands were sticky and cold. She didn't like it. He let out a quiet laugh. "do you want to come with me?"

Before she could respond she blinked, and he disappeared. She could still hear his laugh. _Do you want to come with me?_ Sakura could feel how he really didn't disappear and she wanted to cry. It was scarier now that she couldn't see where he is. Like the scary shadow people her mother told her about. _'He was so scary. I want my papa.'_

**_"Sakura."_ **

"Sakura!" She was already crying and hiccuping when her father called her. **_Something's wrong, where am I?_** Immediately, she was scooped in Asakari's arms. Sakura finally felt safe. This was her father. This was safe.

"Baby, are you alright?"

Sakura shook her head, her tears still rolling down her face. She was always a silent crier. _She didn't want anyone to see her like this._ She curled in her father's embrace, they didn't make a sound as they move to her room.

"It's okay, sweetie. Everything's going to be fine. Can you close your eyes?" Her father's hands were incessantly rubbing her cheeks and it started to hurt but she kept quiet. She could feel her father's anxiety and after he gritted his teeth, he finally stopped rubbing her face. **_Blood. He's trying to wipe off the blood. He failed._**

Sakura didn't have the energy to talk so she nodded, and closed her eyes. She didn't know why she had to close her eyes when her father was just going to tuck her back in. **_Mito, he's going to check on Mito. Your sister._**

Sakura opened her eyes to the sight of Mito sprawled on the futon, her blanket messily covering her small form. She could feel her father's silent intake of air, and shaky breath. Sakura was suddenly aware how cold the night was and how something painful settled in her throat. Asa knelt down on her futon, the futon right besides Mito's. Sakura's tears didn't stop, even when she realized that Mito was just sound asleep but she looked so unnaturally still, so unlike the boisterous child she knew. **_Genjutsu. Wake her up gently._**

Sakura didn't know how to do that. Her father did.

"Otou-san?" Her sister yawned and stretched on the futon. Mito looked like she wanted to go back to sleep. Her red flaming hair was a mess. **_Uzumaki Mito. Sole heiress to the Uzumaki Clan. Master of Fuinjutsu and First Jinchuriki of the Nine tailed fox._** Sakura wanted to sleep too.

"Mito-chan, come here." Surprisingly, even with Mito looking sleepy and moving sluggish, she complied with their father and moved to his arms. **_My father's name is Kizashi. Haruno Kizashi._**

"Papa where are we going?" Sakura asked, resisting the urge to yawn. Her voice was croaky. She whimpered and her father's chakra enveloped her. It was warm and soft. Her eyes _burned_. They should go to their mother's room. Her mother always knew what to do. She was smart and brave. **_Oh god my mother. Haruno Mebuki. She left me. She left me behind, I hate her._**

"Can we sleep at mama's?" Her question was innocent, and she expected her father to laugh at her and say 'Of course! I sleep with mama every night, silly.' but her father's smile was grim and tight and he didn't laugh at all. Now that they were in the hallway again, with the torches burning bright, Sakura saw how her father's eyes were red and his cheeks were wet. Did he cry? Did he see the black man too?

 _'That's not it.'_ Sakura thought because her father was strong, strongest out of everyone in the clan. That was why he was the leader, her caretakers said. Her father wouldn't be afraid of a man with snake eyes. Her father was strong, _he was_.

"No, cupcake, you're sleeping with Rokku and Tataka tonight." Sakura made a face at that, she wanted to be with her mama not some strangers she didn't know. Though thats what usually happened to Mito and her when their parents were busy. They get hoisted off to family they didn't know. **_I don't know anyone here._**

It turned out that Rokku was one of their closer cousins, and his older brother was Tataka. Sakura didn't get to meet Tataka because Rokku said something about checking the parameters. She liked Rokku, he smelled nice and was really kind. He had this weird look in his eyes when he saw her. Sakura didn't understand why was that when she even smiled a bit for him. Her sister should've been awake. She was the one good at making friends. Sakura was the shy child. She didn't move away from her father's side.

It was when she was scrubbed with a wet towel by her father did she notice the blood. His eyes were dark and he nearly rubbed her face off if Rokku didn't intervene. Her father looked like he was choking and it made Sakura tear up. Her father was splattered with it too. No wonder they stinked.

Mito went back to sleep the minute their father laid her on the futon. Sakura joined her after the intense cleaning then crying session she went under. She could still smell the tangy iron and copper in the air but maybe that was just her father. Sakura fell asleep tired that night, curling beside her sister. She still felt weird, like she wasn't in her skin. Her head didn't hurt anymore but her eyes throb with an ache that said _murder_. She slept it off, feeling safe when her father tucked her in. She fell asleep to the quiet conversation between Rokku and her father.

"I'm sorry, Asakari-sama... Kohana-sama- she, she passed-"

* * *

Sakura and Mito were five when they found their mother gone, forever asleep. Mito cried, loudly, at being denied to see her mother. Her tears stained her yukata and she thrashed on the futon, messing the blankets. No one made a move to stop her. No one made a move to comfort her either. Everyone was hurting, too much grief clouding their mind to take care of little girls. Their father was gone, probably handling the percussions of whatever happened. They were in their room, the new one where they slept with their older cousins.

Sakura was five when she remembered her life in the battlefield.

Looking at the sobbing red head at her side, Sakura didn't know what to feel about being the nonexistent twin of the Uzumaki heiress. She wasn't written in the history books of her home. Did she die? Maybe. Did she even exist or was this another dimension? Probably. Her head hurt thinking about it, too many memories she recalled, too many experiences with life and death conflicting her childish innocence. Her face slipped into a blank mask before any tears mess up her face and thoughts. It felt natural to her and Sakura _despised_ the things she went through to achieve this effortlessly. She knew Rokku was watching both of them, lost in his own thoughts, his own eyes tinged red and the surrounding skin were irritated probably because of rubbing his eyes one too many times.

Surveying the room did Sakura realize, she was alone here. No Kakashi. No Sasuke. _No Naruto_. Sakura curled into herself at that thought, clutching her sleeping yukata. She barely resisted the urge to bite her cheeks because that would just hurt her. She was a child. She didn't know what to think about her family here. Were they real? Did she deserve them? Sakura thought not. She doesn't remember much about the clan, _this clan_ which makes sense because she was only _five._ The only people she knew were her sister, father, and mother; and she just lost one of them. Abruptly.

Sakura didn't doubt that the man in black she met was the main suspect, most probably the culprit, and she regretted not biting him. She was too much of a cry baby, too weak, too cowardly to even think of biting someone. Now she knew better. She needed to fight, to _protect_. She just lost her mother, and the thought weighed heavily in her heart. Her mother was so gentle, so _kind_ that Sakura didn't understand why she was a target. Not until it dawned on her on this early morning that, _'Ah, she was the Matriarch all this time. Of course.'_

That meant her father was the clan head. Meaning Sakura and Mito were the heiresses of the Uzumaki Clan and Sakura couldn't wrap it around her head. _Her_? Out of all the people, be the heiress of such a _regal_ clan? She was just a civilian. Sakura remembered her family home, a tiny yellow house perfect for three people. She remembered her mother, with her strong attitude and how she loved to cook. Her past mother wasn't as gentle as the one she had right now, _before she lost her again_ , but Kohana was as lovable as her past mom. Sakura thought death would be the end of her problems. Apparently it wasn't.

Mito's sobs didn't help her, Sakura wanted to be alone. She was used to that, sulking on her own then coming back as composed as possible. Mito's grip on her yukata stopped her from going anywhere, and Sakura was too disoriented to really care about anyone else at the moment. She was still comprehending how the _fuck_ did she get here. All she could remember was Naruto, _sweet and golden_ , and the ambush by Zetsu.

There was no way in hell did Naruto _not_ do anything about her situation. He probably caused this entire mess.

But then the coldness in her veins escaped her and the only thing left was the burning fire in her gut. _Her mother was murdered last night_ and she couldn't do anything about it because she was so _weak_ in her current state.

"Sa-Sakura-chan..." Mito was a sobbing mess with her hiccups. It was infectious and to Sakura's horror, she ended up a crying mess too. Mito and her cried their hearts out that morning, staying at each other's side. Sakura knew that as the clan head their father was busy fixing this mess. She knew that. She knew that but it still didn't stop that ugly side of her asking why he wasn't there taking care of _them_ , his _children,_ first.

 _'I want my papa.'_ It was then she realized how much she missed her original father, Haruno Kizashi, and his stories and loud laughs. Sakura missed her home, her familiar home. Not this place she called home, where everything was strange and alien.

* * *

Asakari was a coward.

He wanted to tell someone _'Don't let the records fool you.'_ because no matter how accomplished he was written in the scrolls he was a coward. Cowardice ran in his veins long before he took the reigns of his clan. He wore faux bravery like a mask to every meeting he held. It didn't matter that his people saw him as courageous when it was all fake. It didn't matter how people praised him in the streets, not when he didn't really deserved it. He's been bluffing his whole life. What bullshit things has he been saying the past years? " _I will protect our family."_ He spat on and on about keeping the village safe, keeping the people safe, when _he couldn't even keep his family safe_.

He had alway wanted to burn the red and gold robes that burdened his shoulders, an insignificant thing envied by his family peers, signifying his role as the head and protector.

Asakari was a coward. The moment his daughters were fast asleep, he bolted out of their room, leaving them to a relative they never met. The moment his daughters weren't in immediate danger _are they really?_ he holed himself in his library, drunk on sorrow and anger, till the wee light that started the day appeared. _Wake up_ the sunlight screamed at him, covering his mess of a body on the wooden floors. He didn't visit his daughters. He wasn't the one there to tell them that their mother passed. He wasn't the one there to comfort them as they cry. No, what _he_ did was use his duties as an excuse. He abused his power to get Rokku to tell them what happened that night because they deserved to know. _T_ _o feel the pain he feels_ , the ugly thing in his head whispered. He didn't dare to visit his daughters.

Asakari attended every meeting, concerning the break in and security and the repercussions. He accepted the condolences and planned the funeral. He must've looked hideous, with his fake smile tight on his face. He didn't visit his daughters. He left them alone, to grief on their own.

He abandoned them. Asakari was a coward because the moment the meetings were over, and everyone kept to themselves to grief, he holed himself in the library again. The moment he had no more duties to attend to, he hid himself because he was _ugly_ in this state. He didn't want anyone to see him like this. His heart _ached_ and the tremors in his hands won't stop. _He was a coward because he abandoned his children_. He didn't visit his daughters because he was afraid. He was afraid that they'd tell him why he didn't protect their mother. They would ask him why he wasn't capable of keeping her safe. He didn't deserve his title, his village, his people, his family.

His grief blinded him and it escaped him how his daughters needed him. It escaped him how they needed someone to pick them up, to tell them they weren't alone, to tell that he was still there. _Will it even matter? So what if he's there, he's weak weak weak couldn't even keep his love safe_

When the horizon swallowed the sun to let the moon breathe Asakari was still in his library, holding his last bottle of sake. It was a mess. Papers were strewn about and broken ceramic that stenched of alcohol littered near the walls. Kohana would kill him if she saw this. She didn't want to marry a pig. A chuckle escaped him and it turned into a sob because _Kami it was real. Everything was real and he lost his wife, his love, the mother of his children. Why wasn't it him?_

He was beginning to sober up and a glance around the room, made Asakari realized how lonely he was amdist his books. He wanted to be with his daughters, _thank Kami they're okay, they're alive, they didn't leave him_. He wanted to march out the hall and head straight for them but actually stepping out and feeling the cold air bite his skin made him realize if he even had the right to. The moon was bright and Asakari hated it. He hated how it dimly lit up his path, with his feet moving one in front of the other to a room he dreaded visiting. _He didn't deserve his daughters._

The sight of pink hair in front of those _damn_ doors made Asakari quicken his steps, before his daughter could open those doors. Before his daughter could see the horrible scene that's been replaying over and over in his mind. _Who was he kidding?_ His people had already cleaned up the scene, the futons were pristine and white and new. The dirty tatami mats were cleaned and replaced, the stench was aired out the window. Seals were improved and security tightened. _He just didn't want to see it, to see it and remember how weak he had been._

"Sweetie," Asakari winced at the tightness in his throat and how his voice came croaky. This daughter of his was a perceptive little rabbit, she knew things he wished she didn't. "what's wrong?" He wanted to strangle himself. There were so many things _wrong_ right now. His child had been waiting for him to man up. Waiting for him to visit them and got sick of it so she had to go to _him_. _He made his child wait because he was too much of a coward to face them_. The bleary green eyes staring at him made him feel small, but when she raised her arms Asakari didn't hesitate to sweep her up and hug her close to him. _She was alive. She was okay. Breathe, Asakari._

"Papa," Asakari relished how his daughter called him, how it made him feel _needed_. "I had a nightmare." He didn't speak after that, _he couldn't, his voice won't come out._ So he hugged her close, burying his head in his baby girl's hair. He wished Sakura was smart enough, _old enough kami she's five_ , to know that he was comforting her. Ah, he needed to say something. He needed to be in control, to be strong. His daughter was shivering and even with his own body heat warming her it didn't seem to stop any time soon. _He needed to say something._

"You can sleep with me, blossom." It was amazing how calm his voice came out, when his heart felt like collapsing itself. Sakura nodded against the crook of his neck. Asakari needed to open the doors, and he steeled himself. _'Don't be afraid.'_ He heard somewhere in his mind in an achingly familiar voice he grew to love. A familiar voice he won't ever hear again, except in his daughters' laughters or songs. _'Don't go into shock and just open the damn door!'_ Asakari screamed at himself, his chakra blared.

The shoji doors slid open effortlessly without his hands, the floor boards beneathe his feet glowing dim blue with chakra. The seals he boasted about made him feel sick. There, inside the cold room, a large futon was neatly spread in the middle of the room. Red and golden, yet as immaculate as ever. His daughter was quiet, unnervingly more than usual but he should've expected that. Asakari moved to lay his baby girl in the middle of it and this child of his was always obedient, always loving, always _understanding_. He moved behind the room divider to change and catch his breath. Strong, he needed to be strong. _'And gentle. Strong and gentle, my love.'_

"Mito-chan?..." Asakari flinched at his daughter's voice, hoarse and tired. He should go and get his other child. He should call Rokku and tell him to bring her here but Asakari didn't want to see Mito, his other precious child. _'She has her mother's eyes, her mother's fire.'_ Asakari couldn't handle seeing his late wife's eyes in his child. _Weak weak._ Sakura, Asakari could handle. She had _his_ mother's eyes, green as the forests outside their home. She was a sweet and quiet child. She reminded Asakari of himself, docile and peaceful. Mito, however, tended to be too blunt and too rough around the edges and Asakari _knew_ she got it from her grandfather, his father the previous clan head. _She's just a child. She needs you too._

Asakari wouldn't be surprised if his red head child barraged him with questions and stabbed him with accusations. He just couldn't handle it right now. In hindsight, he got too used to Kohana's gentle kindness, her quiet yet strong attitude. He got too used to his pink haired child, meek and quiet and _oh so lovable_. He forgot his family tend to produce headstrong red heads with mouths that could get them killed. It was a sharp jab to his already bleeding heart, _how could he do this?_ Sometimes, Asakari feared his own child. It was frustratingly easy for him to see the similarities of his father to his precious Mito, but she wasn't his father. Mito wasn't callous, wasn't heartless. Mito needed him too.

"She's with Rokku, right?" His baby nodded at that, and Asakari settled down on the futon. His heart was in his throat. His daughter immediately went to snuggle against him, and normally Asakari would be amused with how quick she was on her feet when it came to hugs and cuddles but when it came to training she didn't care to exert effort. He made sure to cover them both with the blankets. Nights were undoubtedly cold this year.

"We should let her sleep. Next time she could sleep with us."

"Oh..."

No more words were uttered that night and Asakari suffocated in the silence. He didn't know if his daughter knew this, knew he felt _defeated and shattered_ , but when Sakura hummed beside him a tune he knew well, a tune he kept snuggled in his chest, Asakari let himself tremble. He hugged his daughter close, and the sobs spilled out of him like water from a cracked cup. _Gone gone gone, Kohana was gone but it'll be okay, his daughters were here_

_Won't you come with me?_

_Where the oceans meet the sky_

_We'll be safe and free_

_As we sing this lullaby_

* * *

Rokku kept his eyes trained on the red head beside him, its been a three days since the funeral of Kohona-sama and a two weeks since Asakari-sama finally comforted his other child. Rokku could admit, it was his fault for letting Sakura walk to her father's room. It was his fault he decided to shadow her while Tataka kept an eye on Mito. Rokku saw how fragmented his clan head was when Asakari finally emerged from the god forsaken library. It made him freeze on his hidden spot when dark violet eyes flickered towards him before focusing on his pink haired child. Rokku forgot that though broken, his clan head was to be feared. There was a reason why he, the second child, became head instead of the first. Rokku disappeared after that, back to his brother and Mito.

He waited for the clan head to call him that night. He waited for his clan head to retrieve his other child. Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. Rokku was enraged. He was tempted to storm into that _damn_ room and punch Asakari for leaving his other child _alone_. Tataka kept silent about it and Rokku didn't expect less from his older brother. His older brother knew the feeling of favouritism well, as well as the taste of cactus water. Meaning his brother didn't know shit, what with his gentle, oblivious attitude. Eventually morning came and so did the father-daughter duo. _Rokku burned at how divided the sisters looked._ Mito was quick to jump into her father's arms and Sakura watched idly at her father's side.

Mito cried. Akasari comforted her like he _should've_ done from the start and it kept Rokku's anger at bay. Asakari was hurt. That's why he took so long, Rokku reasoned with himself. Asakari loved the sisters equally, Rokku said to himeslf. Unlike his own father, who was blatantly obvious with his favouritism among the three- now two of them siblings. Mito sobbed in her father's arms and Asakari hugged her close, humming a tune Rokku was familiar to like all Uzumaki children.

"Look Rokku-nii!" Brought out from his inner musing, Rokku looked at the flower crown his princess all but shoved in his face.

"Its beautiful, Mito-hime."

And as the red head beam at him, Rokku could confess to himself that Mito was his favourite.

"I made it for Sakura-chan!" _'Ah.'_ Rokku thought to himself, its great that this sisters were close. Not unlike his brothers- _brother_ and himself, but this pair of sisters were different. Their bond was formed with the sheer trust they in one another, the love for one another. Rokku could still remember the taste of bitter copper in his mouth, could still feel the blade slide deep in his gut in the dead of the night.

Rokku recalled to that scene, when Mito first heard their mother was dead and wailed her eyes out, Sakura sat there beside her red haired sister like a stone statue. Unreadable and unfeeling. Now that he was thinking about, Rokku didn't like how Sakura reacted. It was _strange_. It was only when Mito called Sakura did the pinkette return to the world and weeped along with them.

Rokku smiled. "That's great, Mito-hime. I'm sure Sakura-hime will love it."

When Mito grinned back at him and bounced to her pink haired sister, who was feeding the koi in the pond, to plop the flower crown on Sakura's head, Rokku's heart was cleansed at the sight. _'They'll be okay. As long as they're together, they'll be fine.'_

But when the flower bloomed so beautifully, _so unnaturally,_ around the children Rokku grabbed Mito and took her a distance away from the pinkette. He ignored the red head's surprised and indignant shout. The splash made him turn around just in time to see the other twin fall and Rokku cursed. He should have grabbed them both.

* * *

Sakura was happy when Mito urged her to play in the garden. It was a welcome distraction from the pitying gazes directed at them after the funeral.

After eating breakfast with their father, they went to study esteemed sealing techniques of their clans. After the their sealing class, they went to eat lunch by themselves with Rokku supervising their every move. Eventually, Mito corralled the older red haired male to eat with them and tell them ninja stories. Rokku crumbled at Mito's puppy eyes.

When they finally arrived to the gardens of the inner court, Sakura laughed at Mito's squeal at the pretty flowers. There were a lot of them, strategically planted to display their beauty to their full potential. All the while clearly pointing whose garden this was by the swirl patterns strewn about with the gold and red flowers overwhelming the others.

Sakura enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and she literally had to beg one of the caretakers of the garden to let her feed the koi fish in the pond. She promised them she wouldn't fall in. She mastered the puppy eyes, she learned it from the best _Naruto_ , and obviously won. So with a bag of fish feed, Sakura situated herself near the pond's edge of stones. Mito bounced all over the place, gathering flowers here and there that were to her liking. Sakura was amused at the pained faces of the caretakers.

While tossing the feed to the water, Sakura glanced behind her to see Rokku sat down beside Mito while Mito hummed and knit flowers together. The scene made her heart ache. _Ino._ Sakura became stuck then, with her hand retracting to her side. She felt the wind tussle her hair and the grass beneathe her feet; it transported her to another time.

 _"Hey!" Her face was wet and Sakura knew she'd been crying. They were in the fields at the back of the academy. The grass were dancing with the wind and the sky was clear and blue._ _Pink invaded her vision and Sakura looked at the flower before taking in the blonde who thrusted them in her face._

_"For you! They're cosmos and I think they really suit you!"_

_"Uh- Thank- Thank you?"_

_The sound of her stuttering made her inwardly flinch. Surely this girl wouldn't want to be her friend, not when she was so weak and such a cry baby. It didn't matter that this person saved her from Ami and her other bullies, it could've been a spur in the moment thing. 'She might've even regretted it.'_ _Sakura thought bitterly to herself, looking down at the grass. How could a weed befriend a flower?_

_For a quiet moment, Sakura thought she had been right and the blonde had left her but then she felt someone sit beside her. She stole a glance and saw the blue eyed girl weave the flowers together. Sakura was hit with a pang of jealousy before it was squashed by her insecurity. She didn't know how to do that, how to make the flowers dance around each other and embrace one another._

_"Do you speak flowers?"_

_Sakura blinked at that, flowers had a language? She didn't know that, and she prided herself for being knowledgeable about a lot of things. Another thing that hit her already bruised ego._

_"...No."_

_The girl laughed at her and Sakura flushed red at the sound but it didn't sound depreciating, unlike the usual laughs thrown at her. It made her feel warm in fact. "No wonder you didn't understand, but that's okay! I can teach you."_

_The blonde smiled at her and it made Sakura smile back before she realized it. She turned around last minute, hoping the blonde didn't see her 'ugly' smile. "See, cosmos represent beauty and you're really pretty when you smile like that. It also means harmony, modesty, peace- you know," She waved the finished crown of cosmos around. "-balance and I think you need more of that in your life. What's your name by the way?"_

_"Sa- Sakura. Haruno Sakura."_

_A beat of silence._

_"No way!" The blonde looked at her, incredulous written on her face, before bursting into giggles. It made Sakura laugh too. "You were a flower after all! My name is Yamanaka Ino."_

_With that, Ino placed the crown of cosmos on her head and she grinned at her work. She looked proud and Sakura didn't know what to do so she just sat there._

_"You know another thing cosmos say?"_

_"What?"_

_"They say: **S** **ee, life is indeed beautiful.** "_

Something dropped on her head and Sakura forgot how to breathe. Turning around to see Mito smiling but it overlapped with a girl with blue eyes and blonde hair. Her heart swelled at the sight then it came crashing down. _Ino wasn't here. Her friend, her best girl friend died. They went to different places._ Energy surged her veins and Sakura hissed at the burn she felt, before red invaded her vision. She was so shocked that she fell back into the pond just as Rokku transported Mito away from her.

Sakura didn't know how to swim.

Better yet she _knew_ how but she couldn't do it. Her arms were to short, her legs to wobbly. She did a stupid thing trying to breathe when she hit the water. It invaded her lungs and she was _drowning_ so she just let her energy flow and flow and she was able to grab something then Sakura _pulled_. Each pull she did brought her closer to the surface and her body was heavy with the soaked kimono. When relief entered her mind, she forgot to let her chakra _flow_ and she was sinking again and it reminded her to let her chakra _flow_.

She was standing on the water.

Rokku was standing on the edge, the move to grab her paused and he looked like he was gaping. Something battled behind his grey eyes but Sakura didn't understand what it was. Something must've won because Rokku stepped quickly on the water and lifted her like a princess to place her on the grassy ground she was originally at. She would've stayed on her place on the ground if only Rokku didn't scare her by jumping out of nowhere. Mito, worry etched on her face, came running towards them. She fussed at Sakura's wet clothes before Rokku's unsurprisingly serious voice cut the atmosphere.

"Under _no_ circumstances will you do this again, am I clear?"

"Do what, Rokku-nii?" Sakura was actually confused, water walking? Well... she _was_ only five but as far as she knew clan children were expected to has higher achievements. Especially clan heirs. **_Remember, stress lines and pinwheel eyes_**. Water walking was supposed to be simple to clan children... or was it? Sakura never had problems with her chakra control _before_ so this wasn't a big deal.

"This." Rokku gestured around them at the bright pink and purple flowers that were out of place in their garden. Sakura blinked. Did she do this? Looking at her previous spot, underneath her feet, Sakura found too many cosmos that she was pretty sure weren't there before. The relief she felt at the sight didn't help her.

* * *

"Asakari-sama-" Asakari glanced at his nephew when he paused, Rokku looked older than he should be. War does that to children. "-was Kohana-sama a Senju?"

Silence entered the room like a welcomed guest.

"What made you ask that?" Asakari didn't like how Rokku's fists clench at his side.

"Mito-hime and Sakura-hime decided to play in the gardens this afternoon. It was when Mito-hime gave Sakura-hime a flower crown and I-" Grey eyes blinked, as if recalling a memory. "-I don't know _why_ but Sakura-hime's chakra burst for a brief moment and I was able to only grab Mito-hime. When I turned to check Sakura-hime, she fell in the pond but she was able to swim up and _water walk._ She sank back at first but she was able to stand on the water, almost effortlessly." Rokku glanced at him, as if double-checking to see if Asakari was really listening. The boy flinched at his pointed look, obviously seeing how pissed he was to learn that his other daughter took a dip in the pond.

"Rest assured, she was uninjured. It will not happen again." Asakari nodded at that, mistakes are inevitable. Maybe he should get a more experienced shinobi to guard his daughters. _'But they already like Rokku, especially Mito.'_

"Flowers popped up everywhere, Akasari-sama. I don't know _how._ I was able to clean it up with Mito-hime and Sakura-hime's help. One of the gardener's saw but she promised not to say anything." The red head in front of him began to fidget once he finished. If Rokku wasn't there, Asakari would've banged his head on his desk at the information. His daughter able to grow flowers? Cute, but also _dangerous_. Only one clan boasted about having the ability to sway nature to their side, and it wasn't them.

 _'This day just won't end.'_ The clan head thought to himself, eyeing the papers on his desk. He didn't know if his wife was a Senju. She was a civilian, child of a wealthy merchant family. A family of seafarers. Their marriage was an arranged one but they grew to love each other. _Piece by piece._ If she was a Senju, this makes things even _more_ complicated than it already is. He had more questions than answers and it irritated him. The moment the seafaring clan returned to Uzushiogakure shores without his wife by his side to greet them, Asakari might as well be pierced with a harpoon by the clan head himself. The Uzumaki Elders were of no help either. In fact they're really a pain to his ass. They were furious, to have no heir to the clan was seen as an outrage, especially now that the Matriarch was dead. Did those old bags forget their roots? They used to be matriarchal. So no, Asakari didn't care. His daughters were lovely. Both of them were so _adorable_ trying to act strong and they have the potential to achieve that strength they wish to portray.

They would be his legacy. Heiresses to the Uzumaki Clan.

He's glad Rokku had enough intelligence to bring this to him discreetly, in the privacy of his personal library. The seals he created placed up and about removed the wall's eyes and ears. Asakari sighed and he regretted it when Rokku tense, obviously uncomfortable. The question _'What do we do?'_ hanged in the air and Asakari had to answer it.

"Thank you for your loyalty and thoughtfulness, Rokku-kun. This is-" Flowers, his adorable daughter could make flowers and isn't that just lovely? "-a difficult problem. Thank you for keeping it under wraps. I trust that nothing comes out of this room?" The boy nodded and Asakari appreciated how his grey eyes were as fierce as the maelstroms that visited their village.

"To answer your first question, the answer is I don't know. As far as I have known Kohana has been a civilian, an esteemed daughter of a wealthy merchant clan. You know this story, yes?" _'The story of my life and my love.'_ Hesitation and confusion was an awful mix of emotions that, as far as Asakari could see, plagued Rokku at that moment. All he could do was nod dumbly and Asakari didn't have the heart to bully the kid. The entire village knew his love life, no thanks to the mouths of their servants and guards.

"Yes. Well, if what you say is true then we have three assumptions as of now. Firstly," Asakari grabbed a blank scroll and his brush. "-we could assume that this was just a one time thing and it will never occur again to give our minds peace." Asakari looked pointedly at Rokku's growing stress lines. "Secondly, my wife may have Senju blood all along and my precious baby has magic powers that might bring her to the battlefield. Which will _absolutely_ not happen while I still breathe. Thirdly, this may not even be related to the Senju's famous Mokuton. It could be something else, something we don't know yet. What do you think, Rokku-kun?"

Rokku blinked slowly at him, as if not expecting the clan head, _the leader the best of their clan,_ to ask him of his opinion. Asakari gave the boy time to think but he did not let up his gaze, this child better be honest with him.

"I think Sakura-hime should study chakra-control."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I have no excuses. I know, its really different from the original plot. But I like this better. What are your thoughts on this? Too boring? Action will come soon. What do you guys think will happen? This was originally in FF.net but people told me I should put stuff on Ao3 so here.
> 
> Leave a review and tell me what you guys think! Any ideas you guys give help me some way in my stories. I'm really thankful to have such precious readers.


	2. To feel still waters

_"I have loved you quietly, fervently,_

_but forgetting you was loud, deafening, withering."_

* * *

Sakura couldn't believe this. She wanted to stomp her feet and throw a tantrum. However she resisted that burning urge, to prove that she _wasn't_ a child.

Her near perfect chakra control was gone. That thing with the pond was a one time _fluke_.

At first, she reasoned that maybe because she's still five and she's already practicing water walking without even going through tree walking; without even going through leaf concentration first. She believed it, truly. Her mind may be an ugly mixture of her current childish self and her older past self but her body is truly that of a child's.

She only tried practicing it once, when the sun finally decided to rest. She fell in the water as soon as she tried it. She was soaked.

Control did not come as easy as the first time she tried learning it.

_"Maa, looks like Sakura-chan has the best chakra control in the team. If you don't work hard, Naruto, she might become Hokage."_

The splash no doubt attracted the night guards in the compound so Sakura made a bolt for it. When she arrived at their room, Rokku's stare made her fidget but he didn't say anything so Sakura didn't tell anything. The cold did not bother her that night, she burned with shame on her arrogant attitude.

Then it hit her while she settled in her futon, she's an _Uzumaki_ now. This clan was known for their unusually long, healthy life span and scarily large chakra reserves like her blond knucklehead. _Ergo,_ large chakra reserves normally mean piss poor chakra control. It was a punch to Sakura's gut. Chakra control was the _only_ thing she excelled at, the _only_ thing that was _hers_ and now its gone from her as well along with most of her healing abilities and insane strength. She sulked a lot for a while. Rokku's worries were practically tangible but Mito, that _sadist_ , was gleeful to see her twin be in doom and gloom. Actually Sakura knew, Mito was just happy to see Sakura finally act her age.

An addition to her problems was, what the hell did she do in the garden? Flowers, _really_? Mito squealed at how cute it was but Sakura realized, with dread pooling in her stomach, that _this_ wasn't hers. Whatever this was.

She knew of a technique that utilized the trees and plants but Sakura was pretty sure she didn't have Senju blood in her veins. She was as sure as Mito's aim, meaning not at all. She didn't know how she did the flower thing and it scared her that she might do it again, voluntarily or not. Never mind the actual ability was _cute_ and currently harmless, but the repercussions that would befall upon her family if the world knew would be chaotic.

Not knowing the how's and why's terrified her and recently, she learned she didn't know a lot. Especially with her family, she realized. She didn't know anyone aside from the ones she already met. She could be kidnapped by a poser and she wouldn't know better.

So Sakura studied. It was all she can do in her state, and Mito eagerly joined her as well. Although Mito already befriended most clansmen working in the main compound, being the exuberant ball of sunshine that she was.

Mito helped her learn the names of their people, all the while laughing at how she knew more than her. Sakura pouted at that. It wasn't her fault she was shy… okay maybe it _was_ but she's trying, wasn't she?

Her red haired sister reminded her so much of her golden boy. So much so that sometimes, _Naruto_ was on the tip of her tongue instead of _Mito_. Her sister didn't seemed perturbed by it but sometimes, Sakura could see questioning glances directed her way when Mito thought she wasn't looking.

Mito and her studied together, more than usual, more than about their family seals. They studied theories that were in their father's library. The art of war was, by far, Sakura's favorite and Mito cringed at her personal taste. Mito preferred the scrolls of sealing that their father let them read. Sakura snorted at that, and _she_ was the one being called "reading obsessed".

Unlike Mito, Sakura didn't easily grasp the concepts of sealing. It wasn't her field. She didn't have past knowledge about it aside from the basics, and the knowledge she have were of a mixture of sealing techniques that weren't just Uzumaki, though the Uzumaki techniques were strong foundations of many seals. Sakura wasn't really interested in learning seals but she read theories about it anyways. Mito, however, was like a fish in water. She dominated it.

Their father laughed at their profound determination to become scholars.

"My daughters are adorable little geniuses! Don't grow too fast now, okay?"

He supported them both in their studies. He didn't push them or lay some painful expectations for them to bleed and crawl in order to reach. Sakura liked that a lot. Her father was gentle and it was such a contrast to Mito's blunt and boisterous attitude that Sakura spent time with her father on times when Mito was learning advance sealing techniques; too advance for Sakura to comprehend what with her lack of drive to study such complex.

Sakura's favorite past time was sitting by her father's side reading books upon books. Asakari didn't mind, in fact Sakura thought he loved the attention they were giving him. Mito wasn't as kind as her. The red head was bubbly and noisy in the library, reading the scrolls out loud and talking nonstop about how amazing the mechanisms of the seals were. Asakari chuckled at her antics at first. A few days passed and her father was obviously twitching in his seat at Mito's unending chatter. It distracted Sakura from her own reading and Asakari from doing his duties as clan head.

Rokku decided to kick them out of the library then, much to her father's obvious relief. Their father shot them a smile before they went outside. Rokku said it'd be better to read in the gardens, and the word 'garden' made something twist in Sakura's stomach. Excitement or dread, she didn't know.

On the way to the gardens, Sakura had a feeling Rokku had some alternative motive for choosing the same gardens to go to. _'Rokku-nii isn't bad.'_ Sakura thought to herself, her hand clasped with the older boy's hand as he led them along the hallway of the middle court. Mito was on Rokku's shoulders, as always. She didn't hesitate to exploit Rokku's physical strength, and seemingly unending patience.

Rokku was kind and let Mito feel tall as much as she wanted. It made Rokku kind in her books. Although, on the other hand, Rokku shouldn't indulge in Mito's whims often. It might spoil the red haired girl. ' _More spoiled than she already was,'_ Sakura chuckled to herself. Their father was equally unhelpful in that field, Asakari spoiled them relentlessly.

"Mito-hime, time to get down."

"Aw, but I like it here!"

Sakura could practically feel Rokku's hesitation. She prayed that Rokku wouldn't let her sister stay on his shoulders. Mito must be heavy, she ate a lot more than her age, and body size for that matter. Though, Sakura wouldn't be surprised if Rokku let her because Rokku didn't deny her sister anything if he could help it. Sakura would just have to peel Mito off him, if that's the case.

"No, Mito-hime. You were going to read the history of sealing scrolls, were you not?"

She didn't have to look up to know Mito pouted, Sakura let out a laugh. Mito pressed her lips and Sakura knew she was resisting the urge to smile. Being together often made Sakura adept in reading Mito. The red head sighed dramatically, and Sakura rolled her eyes at her sister's theatrical antics, before nodding.

"Yes I was. Can I go down now?"

Rokku crouched slowly, as to not startle Mito and make her fall. Sakura liked the fact Rokku was still holding her hand, despite focusing on Mito. She wasn't forgotten.

_"Sakura, I'm going back to Anbu." "But Kakashi-sensei-"_

As soon as she was down Mito grabbed the scrolls from Rokku's right arm. Sakura wanted to start reading her scrolls too, she picked a book about chakra this time. So that if she ever wanted to try practicing again, she'd tell her father that she read about it and wanted to try. However when she tried letting go of the red head's hand, Rokku held on to her's firmly.

"Sakura-hime, do you know what chakra is?" Mito exhanged a look with her, of course they knew what it was. They were learning sealing techniques and it was essential knowledge, even if they weren't technically doing any sealing; just theories. Sakura chose her words carefully.

"Its the energy we have in our bodies. We use it to do shinobi stuff, and it's really cool!" She achieved her goal when Rokku gave her an amused smile. Mito gave her a face but Sakura shrugged her off. Mito was smart, she knew why Sakura would be playing dumb.

"Yes, correct. Now I know you've been trying to play with on your own," Sakura winced at the older boy's pointed look and Mito's dumbstruck shout of 'What?' "-but I need you to stop doing that, Sakura-hime. Chakra is not a toy. You could seriously hurt yourself, your coils, or endanger others." _'Like Mito.'_ Sakura looked down, she knew what Rokku meant by 'others'.

"Wait wait, Sakura-chan why didn't you tell me you were practicing by yourself?" Sakura avoided Mito's fiery eyes and slightly hid herself behind Rokku's left leg. Mito was scary when she was angry, but she was even scarier when she was hurt.

"Sorry, Mito-chan, I didn't mean to not tell you… I just-" Sakura bit her lip, she made a mistake. She should have confided in Mito the moment she wanted to get her chakra control back. She was too used at being alone. "-I didn't want you to get hurt." Mito huffed at her.

"You still should've told me!" Mito frowned and looked away. She must've remembered something because the red head looked at her incredulously. "Is that why you were wet two days ago?"

Sakura's face heated up at the memory, she was so tired she didn't dried herself thoroughly. In order to hide the truth, she faked wetting her bed.

"Yeah… I sucked at it and fell in the pond. Another reason why I didn't tell you because I knew you were going to laugh at me…."

Mito was still frowning and Rokku stood still as a statue between them. Sakura thought that this was the end of it. End of their sistership. Sakura couldn't bare the thought, it freaked her how unusually silent Mito was being. Sometimes, showing true anger through silence is worse than making a noisy mess. That was before Mito's lips quirked into a smile then laughed. Sakura could feel her bones sag in relief, Mito was forgiving her for not telling; for not _trusting_ Mito.

Her eyes spoke differently though. _This one is still angry, be warned._

"Haha, yeah I would!" Rokku moved aside and Sakura made a move to hug Mito, because she _could_ and she wanted to _wanted to show Mito how luck Sakura was for having a loving sister_ , but Rokku's grip on her made Sakura stick to his side. She pouted and Sakura could feel the gears stop in Rokku's mind before moving again.

"I'm still not done, Sakura-hime. You have to promise _me_ and Mito that you won't do those nightly get-aways anymore. Do you understand?" Sakura inwardly sighed, Rokku was as headstrong as any other Uzumaki but he could compete with Mito at how adamant they both were to get their way.

"I promise, Rokku-nii."

"… Promise it to Asakari-sama as well. What you did was really dangerous, Sakura-hime." Her green eyes narrowed. She trusted Rokku a lot but it seemed it wasn't reciprocated. _'I keep my promises,'_ Sakura glanced away from Rokku's unsettlingly deep grey eyes. _'even if they aren't for papa.'_

"I _promise_ I won't do it anymore. Can we read now?"

"No." Sakura nearly growled at the older boy but she refrained. She wasn't a dog, nor a puppy. No matter how many times their father doted on them and told them how similar they were to the delightful small beast. Rokku's eyes shined with mirth but his face was the same as always, smooth like a stone and without a hint of a smile. It was a stoic face that Sakura had experience dealing with. She knew the tensed jaw indicated he was trying not to laugh.

"But why?" Sakura whined, glancing at her red haired sister only to see Mito already settled under a tree with scrolls on her lap. She must've not wanted to be part of the scolding Rokku was giving her. _'Traitor,'_ Her mind bit out but she squashed it. Mito was a lot of things but traitor wasn't one of them. Also, this was probably Mito's way of retaliating against her for not confiding in Mito.

"Because I'm going to teach you about chakra control," There was a scarce smile on Rokku's face and Sakura thought she was imagining things because it disappeared as soon as she saw it. She was dumbfounded for a quiet moment, before glee overtook her and she grinned. She was still holding onto Rokku's hand.

"Really?" The red head nodded at her and Sakura utterly radiated with the chance to be taught chakra control. In the past, chakra control was like breathing to her. She never had to learn how to do it, it was innate for her past self. She had trouble learning it, because she never had to learn it before.

"Yatta!" Sakura couldn't help the childish shout that erupted from her. Rokku silently guided her to the trees near Mito, and her sister must've heard her unusual giddiness what with her inquiring look over the edge of her scroll.

"What's going on?"

"Rokku-nii's gonna teach me chakra control!"

Mito shot a look at the said boy before looking back at her. Sakura saw how Mito was ready to barge in the 'lesson' but instead the red head pressed her lips. Instead of asking to join, Mito nodded at them. "Ok, don't get hurt."

"You're not coming?" Mito shooked her head and the red locks, that both their father and Rokku had in different shades, danced. Sakura was jealous of it. She wanted to have red hair too, she felt like an outsider when she was the only pink in a sea of red and orange. At the same time, she was glad to have kept her pink hair. It reminded her of her home, her old home.

Her sister was unexpectedly serious. Her steel blue eyes darker and fiercer than ever. It did not suit her childish face.

"I'm going to be the _best_ fuinjutsu master ever." Mito said it in such a deadpan way that Sakura could not ignore the solemnity of it. She said it like she was talking about how grass is green and how the sky is blue. Rokku was at Sakura's side, silent as usual but listening. He was always listening.

"I know you will." Mito smiled at her reply, and it was soft on her face. Then the red head grinned her usual grin, all teeth and mischief.

"Then I need to read this by today so I can read new ones tomorrow! Chakra control can wait once I learn where I can use it." Sakura felt Rokku nod in approval at Mito's decision.

"Let's do our best, Mito-chan!" She got a nod as a reply and it was good enough for her. Sakura was a major bookworm, but when it came to seals Mito was on another level.

"Sakura-hime let's get to training."

Sakura started with the historical leaf concentration training she did back in the academy. Unlike back in the academy however, the leaf on Sakura's forehead felt like it was burning and it was a struggle to keep it on. Rokku called her to stop and Sakura was annoyed at him for doing so but complied. She still wanted to continue trying.

She had expected the leaf to be burnt, like how most beginners' leaves end up as. Instead, the one leaf she used grew more leaf buds near its base. Sakura could practically feel Rokku's exasperation in waves. His stare on the leaf was so serious and Sakura would have laughed at how hilarious he looked but she wisely kept quiet. Unlike Mito, Sakura did not want to poke Rokku's seemingly endless patience. Aside from that, Sakura had no idea what she did either, so that made both of them.

"Okay, change of plans." Rokku essentially sighed the words before looking around to scan the area. For what, Sakura didn't know. She stood there, patient for her instructions but Sakura was five and her patience was the size of a matchstick on fire. She was tempted to get another leaf and try all over again.

"Come here, Sakura-hime." The pink haired girl was quick on her feet to move with Rokku's larger strides. He usually went with their pace but now, as a teacher, he walked on his own. They stopped at the edge of the same pond she fell in, and for a scary second Sakura thought Rokku would just throw her in and let her figure it out on her own but Sakura knew better. _'Rokku-nii is kind.'_

They were at another edge, instead of rocks lining the pond this one was a blend of grass dirt to sand then eventually pebbles and stones that littered the pond's bottom soil. It was like a beach, now that Sakura thought about it. Except there weren't any waves except ripples from the koi. There was a net, camouflaged with the fauna of the pond, to keep the koi fish from getting beached. Rokku kneeled in front of her and the sudden movement startled Sakura that if the red head didn't held onto her shoulders she would've landed on her ass.

"We need to take off your sandals for this. Sakura-hime, may I?" Sakura nodded, her face a bit red at her almost graceless fall. Mito would've laughed at her then asked if she was okay, but she was busy burying herself in her scrolls.

"Then please hold on to me for balance, Sakura-hime."

Hesitantly, Sakura placed her hand on his shoulders. Rokku was as gentle as he was quiet. He waited for her to grip his shoulders steadily before lifting her feet up to remove her wooden sandals. Personally, Sakura wanted to remove them herself but the last time she did that her caretaker chastised her. _'It is an honor for us to help you. Please refrain from doing this when you have a retainer by your side, Sakura-hime-sama.'_

When her sandals were gone, belatedly Sakura realized Rokku was also on his bare feet. When did he have the time to remove them, Sakura would never know. Both of them were at the 'shores' now, Sakura could feel herself sink in the sand.

_"Gaara. Call me Gaara, Sakura-san."_

"Now what I want you to do is to feel the water first, Sakura-hime. Feel it embrace your feet, and stay still. What you want to do with your chakra is to let it flow into the water, let it dance in it. Feel your chakra drift away from you, then stream back in. Repeat it until you can't." Sakura was too focused at the image of another red head, with a determined attitude yet awkward smile, that the appearance of small waves lapping near Rokku's feet didn't fully register at first in Sakura's mind. This was a pond with small fish. There shouldn't be a wave like that.

"Ebb and flow…." Sakura whispered more to herself, the words of her old academy teacher. Never mind that she had near perfect chakra control then, Iruka was her favorite and she listened to all his lectures. Rokku glanced at her before nodding in, what Sakura hoped to be, approval.

"Correct, Sakura-hime. Ebb and flow your chakra like water, reach within yourself and let it flow carefully, slowly."

"Alright."

Sakura nodded, more to herself than to Rokku's instruction. She inhaled and exhaled, feeling the air move in her lungs and felt the telltale thrum of chakra within. _'Carefully,'_ Sakura thought as she pictured herself opening a gate within herself. She didn't know if the warmth she felt was from her chakra actually moving or the sun baring its smile on her skin. She didn't feel any ripples, the water still as glass around her feet. Sakura didn't let it get to her, she continued to try and feel for her chakra. It felt like the door she usually opened without a care was stuck closed now that she wanted to open it gently.

It made Sakura grit her teeth, she's half-tempted to just kick the door open but she remembered Rokku's presence beside her and his words. _'Let it flow carefully, slowly.'_

So with renewed patience she never thought she had, Sakura kept pull and pushing the stuck door gently. It remained firmly closed.

* * *

Two weeks passed and it took her four days worth of practice to actually make the water ripple around her unmoving feet and Sakura rejoiced in her small victory. Mito already started with the leaf concentration but she was epically failing as Sakura did, except less leaf growing and more leaf burning.

The main compound was bustling with servants preparing living quarters and large amount of foods. Large enough for a feast. Asakari had already spoke to them during last dinner that important guests were coming. Their father was unusually tense at their small, family dinner table. It was a tell that their visitors would no doubt be, in Shikamaru's words, _troublesome_.

"I don't want to see any of you outside the inner courts, am I clear?" Their father had told them and Mito whined at that. The libraries weren't in the inner court. Sakura would've whined as well but it meant more time for her to practice chakra control.

"I'm serious. I don't want to see a strand of pink hair in the library," Asakari aimed a look at Mito. "or your shade of red hair, for that matter. What do we always talk about when papa's busy with guests, wanted or otherwise?"

"To stay out of sight, to stay out of trouble." Mito and her chimed in unison, both of them dismayed to have guests near their part of the compound. Usually, guests were designated at the annex building near the main compound. This meant they were really _important_ guests that even their father can't push out.

Today was the day the visitors were supposed to arrive and Asakari took extra percussions to ensure Sakura and Mito stayed out of sight. Mito was scheduled with her personal sealing classes, Mito told Sakura how her teachers were finally going to demonstrate how seals are created and how they work.

"It won't just be theories, Sakura-chan!"

Personally, Sakura thought how it was clever for their father to distract Mito like that. When morning came and breakfast was over they had to go to their separate duties. Sakura was surprised when Rokku decided to stick with her when they dropped of Mito to the room for her sealing class. She kinda guessed Rokku had a soft spot for Mito, one that Sakura did not have. _'But he is teaching me, so…'_

Sakura left it at that. It didn't matter who Rokku liked more, because both of them were his charges. She knew Rokku, even though it's only been a few weeks. She trusted him. Sakura knew he won't let any harm come to them both. Aside from that, Mito was with a trusted scholar, who was a shinobi. Sakura had no one, except the inner court guards hidden about, so it was smart of Rokku to tail her instead of Mito.

Currently, she was alone because Rokku was called elsewhere by the hidden guards, no doubt it was her father or one of the council members. It was probably about security or something.

"I'll be quick, Sakura-hime. Practice meditating first, like how I taught you."

Sakura did meditate like how Rokku taught her. She sat under the tree Mito sat under before and breathed. She folded her legs and assumed the meditating position Rokku taught her, it was similar to the meditating positions she knew in the past. Meditating was her favorite past past time aside from crushing boulders.

For the first time in a long time, Sakura was virtually alone with her thoughts. There was no Asakari, no Rokku, and especially no Mito. She finally has the time to think about her situation.

One of her foremost problem aside from lack of chakra control was her memories, or lack of memories.

It confused the hell out of Sakura, when at some points in the day she'd be hit by a scene that _screamed_ home. **_Remember, remember me._** Like that time her vision was hit with Kakashi's face, smiling yet haggard, telling her he's going back to anbu. Sakura _didn't_ recall that voluntarily and it was obviously important that she _should've_ remembered it, or at least knew about it, yet she didn't.

And it wasn't just one instance that Sakura was thrown in a scene, _in a battlefield, in a different place when she should've been with Mito,_ out of nowhere. She's pretty sure she must've looked like an idiot who daydreamed all the time.

 _'I don't remember everything.'_ And to Sakura's horror, she realized she doesn't remember a lot of things. She doesn't remember how her dad smelled or what her mother's cooking taste like. She doesn't remember the name of Kakashi's plant even though Sakura _knew_ her dear sensei had one in his small, cold apartment. She doesn't remember the brand of Sai's favorite brush but she remembered gifting him one set of it.

She doesn't remember the fight she had with Naruto but Sakura _knew_ they fought.

She remembered leaving Naruto _alone_ in the medical tent and Sakura slammed her head against the tree behind her at the thought. She doesn't remember _why_ she left him alone when she promised herself she would _never_ leave Naruto alone anymore. She scourged her mind and brain but she doesn't find _anything_ and _she hated not knowing, not remembering she hated, hated it. Why did she do that? She loved that idiot blond, she did, she did even though he had Hinata. Why did she hurt him?_

In the end, Naruto was called back to the frontlines and Sakura was left behind to heal. However, an army of Zetsu appearing in the medical camp changed her from the healer, to the defender. She never got to say sorry for whatever she did. _God, why did she do that? Why was she even here?_

"Sakura-hime." The call of her name made her jolt out of her skin, opening her eyes to see Rokku's usually smooth face marred by a slight frown. She didn't even realized she closed her eyes.

"Are you alright?" _'No, not really. I don't know.'_

Sakura offered a small smile, hoping it was enough to answer the red head, but Rokku's sharp look sliced it off her face fairly quickly.

"… I had a nightmare." She lied. The sharp, knowing look melted off Rokku's face. All of the sudden he wasn't the guard, the top of his shinobi peers, that her father assigned them; he was just another awkward boy who went through his own monsters and didn't know how to comfort.

"Ah…." Sakura glanced to the side, it was embarrassing enough to lie to her retainer but to get _caught_ in lying and Rokku looked like he still knew what she was actually thinking was another thing entirely. She wanted to fidget under Rokku's inquisitive stare, as if it was asking her why she lied.

The red head was quiet for a while before he finally decided to sit himself beside her. Sakura was getting used to Rokku's worrying mama hen attitude, but it still surprised her nonetheless. It was quiet.

There were no other people in the garden. Ever since that flower fiasco, her father banned the gardeners and servant from entering the garden without permission from the clan head. It caused a whole lot of unspoken confusion for the servants, before it died down and only curious glances directed at the garden entrance remained. It was shrugged off as her father's wish to have his late wife's garden as a private, safe haven for him and his daughters. Even the hidden guards were a few distances away from the actual garden perimeter.

Her father made this garden Sakura's sanctuary; where she can privately mourn all she had lost in the past and find peace with all that she had found here in the present.

"What was it about?" Sakura pulled her legs to her chest, she wanted to be big before. Big so that everyone had to pause and take notice of her. Now, with Rokku intentionally not looking at her to give her a faux sense of privacy, she wanted to be so small that maybe she'll be able to slip into the small burrow under the tree they were rest at.

 _'What the fuck should I say?'_ Sakura lied and she'd be damned to let Rokku get the better of her and make her admit that she lied. She doesn't want to undergo a lecture about importance of truth between family. Her ears would bleed. So, after thinking about it and Rokku giving her time to string her thoughts into words, she told something she _did_ have a nightmare about.

"A man in black I saw before, in front of my room, he had really scary eyes. I had a nightmare about him and snakes that were gonna eat me, then Mito, then Papa," Sakura glanced at the red head who, as soon as she said 'man in black', went rigid in his sit. She remembered why she didn't say this to anyone after the funeral. Her father was going to stress himself and worry his way to his grave, along with this red haired boy. "even you, Rokku-nii."

"This man," The flat voice made Sakura internally flinch, it's been awhile since she heard it from Rokku. "when did you saw him?"

"Before… when papa got us from our room and brought us to you." Rokku's sharp exhale and sudden turn of head towards her had Sakura feeling guiltier every second. She didn't mean to not say anything, she just had too much to think about lately. _She also didn't want to admit she let her mother's killer get away,_ ** _let that snake get away with everything he stole from her_**.

"Does Asakari-sama know this?" Sakura didn't thought of that. After that night, all Sakura thought about was grief and how it suffocated her, her and Mito, and their father.

"I think… so? The man left just when papa arrived."

Rokku didn't reply to her question-like answer instead he reached and patted her head, gently. Sakura pushed down the feeling of relief in her system. She didn't deserve it, she just lied to Rokku. Her guard must have not caught on to her half-lie, half-true story, if anything Rokku seemed to force himself to relax underneath the tree's shadows after hearing her story.

"Its okay, Sakura-hime. I will protect you from all the snakes."

"But who'd keep you safe, Rokku-nii?"

"… Asakari-sama will keep me safe."

"Papa?" Rokku nodded at her.

"But who'll keep Papa safe?" Sakura felt evil for acting like a child, even though technically she was one. She just wished Rokku would stop lifting the world on his shoulders. So she's going to mess with him. The troubled look that flittered on Rokku's face told Sakura she succeeded. Rokku was quiet for a while before seemingly nodding to himself.

"Come here, Sakura-hime." Sakura stared dumbly at Rokku's lap, before glancing at the red haired boy himself. _'What?'_

"Uh…" Well, it wasn't like she never sat on Rokku's lap before… which she never did. Mito was usually the one carried or held by Rokku, not her. Sakura took pride in being able to walk by herself. Rokku, however, didn't like her hesitation obvious with how he grabbed her from her seat and laid her on his lap. She really felt like five again with how Rokku closed his arms around her without even touching her.

"Do you know what hugging is, Sakura-hime?" Sakura inwardly rolled her eyes, why does Rokku love to ask her questions he _knew_ she knew the answers to. She nodded mutely, still half embarrassed at their current position. She doesn't want to be treated like a child.

"You see, protecting someone is a lot like hugging someone. When you hug someone, they hug you back right?"

"Yeah.…" Sakura had no idea where this was going, she didn't like the fact that she's being taught by someone younger than her mental age.

"Well, that's what happens when you protect someone too. They protect you back." So that was why Rokku placed her here, this was his version of hugging. Sakura wrinkled her nose, he wasn't even hugging her. He was more like locking her in.

"…But what if they don't hug you back?" Rokku glanced down on her, and his grey eyes were darker and clouded. As if they weren't seeing her but something else. Sakura felt Rokku sigh and she wondered how he did it so quietly, it was only because she was on his lap that she knew he sighed.

"You just have to keep hugging them until they hug you back, well that's what my mother said. Personally, Sakura-hime, I think you shouldn't hug anyone beside Mito-hime and Asakari-sama."

"How about you?"

"….It is fine. You shouldn't hug anyone else though, most people won't hug you back."

"Oh… but what if they just didn't know how to hug back?" Sakura let herself feel childish, maybe it was okay for her to feel safe like this.

"You have a lot of questions, Sakura-hime."

"But Rokku- _nii_ -"

"Its getting late, Sakura-hime, why don't we go inside so you can freshen up for the feast?" Sakura pouted to herself, Rokku was dodging her question. She probably shouldn't pry but Sakura saw Rokku as hers now. She wanted to _protect_ him, to _heal_ him even. She started accepting that this family was hers and she would protect it until she died. Mito was as much hers as was their father. Sakura considered Rokku to be the big brother she wished she had before.

"Up we go, Sakura-hime." Sakura couldn't help the surprise squeak the came from her when she was suddenly five feet high in the air.

"Rokku- _nii,_ I'm not Mito!" Sakura whined, though she placed a firm grip on the read head's shoulders. The view on the red head's shoulders was actually enjoyable. No wonder Mito loved it up here, the view of the garden was amazing. God, she missed being tall… well taller than she was currently.

Rokku didn't reply to her whines and instead continued to walk out of the garden and into the inner court to their room, a room that was designed for Mito and her with Rokku and Tataka on standby near their room.

Right… Mito and her have to greet the guests at the feast tonight. Which meant that Sakura has to go under the tortuous process of bathing in oil, scrubbing, hair do, and a tight multilayered kimono she couldn't breathe in.

"Rokku-nii… can't we just not go?"

"No, Sakura-hime."

"But Rokku- _nii_ , I don't wanna wear the tight kimono!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So I finally had chapter 2 out. I have a long build up of the plot in mind. A lot of subplot I'm excited to write about. Unfortunately, I'm busy with online classes so I won't be able to write as much as I wanted to. I'm thinking about updating once or twice a week. Maybe.
> 
> I really want to know what my readers think about this, reviews and comments are welcome! What do you think will happen? Who are the visitors? Is there something confusing or wrong with my story so far? Any suggestions to tell me? Feel free to criticize! Especially my grammar, I have no beta to check my work and sometimes I'm half-dead by the time I'm done writing and updating.


	3. Its nice to see you again

_"I cling to the things that make me bleed,_

_because I'd rather feel the pain in the familiar,_

_than peace in the unknown."_

* * *

Sakura resisted the urge to twiddle the strategically placed pink bangs that framed her face. She occasionally forgot that her hair was longer now, as long as Mito’s. It was always in a tight bun when the servants help her get ready in the morning. Mito was a rambunctious child so her hair has always been put into a secured bun, Mito loved the twin buns. Sakura was the same, except that she liked the practicality of a bun and not its aesthetic aspect. Plus, she mostly wore only one bun and the servants let some of her hair frame her face. _“To enhance your cuteness, Sakura-hime.”_ Mito also had her signature left bangs clipped with three black simple pins to keep the wild hair in place. 

They were both wearing matching kimono again, along with their father, signifying that they were part of the main family. Their father, who usually gushed at how cute it was to have matching clothes, not like they don’t do it _everyday,_ looked torn the moment they saw him at the table. Like he wanted to brag about them at the same time stuff them in his library out of prying eyes. 

Their kimono was a mix of red, white, and gold. Obviously the colors were chosen, not only because they were the family colors, but to flaunt the wealth of their clan. Golden silk was hard to come by in this day and age, and maintaining white clothes to stay pristine required utmost care and money.

Mito’s clothes were dominated with white, to match her hair, with details of embroidered gold and edged with red. Sakura’s kimono, on the other hand, was dominated with red and edged with white with golden embroideries as well. Their father looked regal in his clan head ensemble, decked with white embroidered, red kimono and his red and gold robes.

Her father looked like a Daimyo, and Sakura never saw his no-nonsense clan head look. By the guess of Mito’s restless energy permeating through the air around her unmoving position, her sister hadn’t seen it before either. 

No words were exchanged between them except the small, strained smile their father showed them to which they smiled back. Asakari sat at the head of the table, opposite of the doors where their guests will enter. He sat like a lion on his thrown, full of grace and lethality. 

Her father’s posture demanded respect, and Sakura straightened her spine in hopes of copying his stance. Mito was unexpectedly better with the regal posture thing, her spine straight yet her body relaxed. She looked like the Mito she knew from the legends, intelligent and ruthless, and not the five year old sister she knew right now. 

A quiet Mito was a dangerous Mito, Sakura has come to learn. 

Rokku was hidden somewhere in the room, along with Tataka and one more guard Sakura didn’t know. She hasn’t even seen Tataka face-to-face yet, so that was one more adventure to add. Since there were few guards her father stationed, it meant that the visitors were a dear ally but from her father’s posture maybe a dangerous ally. It didn’t make sense with the few guards her father chose. Sakura, after minutes of mulling over it, concluded that this visitors of theirs were _good_ allies to warrant little guards but their father _disliked_ them personally. 

Either way, Sakura already didn’t like them and she didn’t want to be here in the first place. Their father would usually let them go out and get their way, letting them skip meetings they were supposed to attend. Sakura loved that about her father, he let them play like the kids they were and the Elders could shove it up their asses for all Sakura cared.

Then the doors opened and Sakura nearly choked her heart out.

_ "Sakura-chan! My darling little flower, won't you give otou-san some cookies as well? " _

There he was, in an equally regal yet battle ready kimono, was a scarily uncanny look alike of Haruno Kizashi. Their were three people flanking him, all of them in sea blue and sea green kimono.

Their father stood and smiled, all sharp and knives. Mito and her followed suit, standing up with a bow. They were children, they should respect their elders.

“Kaichi-san, welcome. Please sit and make yourselves comfortable.”

Their visitors were tense and obviously would prefer to be anywhere than here, Sakura could agree to that. Her eyes never left this Kaichi’s person. He looked so awfully similar to her past father it was unfair. She almost muttered out a ‘tou-san’ if not for Mito’s sharp look at her from her seat. They were both at their father’s sides, right for Mito and left for Sakura. It made sense, seeing that Mito proved to be more Uzumaki with her bright hair unlike Sakura’s faded version.

She had no problems with it but Mito had problems accepting it, that she was obviously the better sister between both of them. She was practically the ideal Uzumaki heir, boisterous attitude aside, with her love and growing prowess of seals and developing reserves that could rival an adult’s.

Sakura had no such abilities, aside from her laughable chakra control and equally laughable chakra reserves. Sure she had larger reserves than she had before as a child, but it was not large enough for the expectations of the elders.

Their visitors had already taken their seats and were immediately served with tea by the servants who were on standby at the walls.

“Asakari-san, I see you are well.” His voice was nothing like her father’s, Sakura decided. Her father’s voice was soft and gentle, like the happy stream of a river. This man’s voice was like a torrent, smooth and it cuts deep.

“As well as I can be. How was your journey? Nothing troubling, I hope.”

“Hm.”

Sakura could see Mito bristle at the lack of proper response Kaichi deigned their father. It got on her nerves too. No one was allowed to disrespect their father like that. The conversation continued, with Asakari directing the conversation to another topic as if he wasn’t rudely brushed off. 

From their talks, Sakura learned that this man was called Ringo Kaichi. The last name made something buzz in her head, like she heard it once and put it in a file to remember later except she never got to remember it. Whereas their father sat like a lion, Kaichi sat like a mountain, tall and unmoving.

Even without the endearing blossom-styled hairdo, Sakura could recognize Haruno Kizashi by his eyes alone. Her father had the deepest sea blue eyes she’d ever seen. Sakura never thought she would see it again, not in this life. She was the tiniest bit glad because she was starting to forget the exact shade her father’s eyes were.

Kaichi was obviously taller than Kizashi and had a different body build but the sea foam green kimono he wore reminded her of father. That, and the faded color of burgundy red that was his hair made Sakura realize where she got her pink hair from in this life because she put two and two together from their conversations, this man was obviously a relative. Which made sense regarding the lack of guards, but their father’s tense posture and strained smile never went away.

Kaichi conversed with their father, seemingly having great determination to be as rude as polite etiquette allowed. The talk centered around the sea trade, the merchant life, the life at sea, and how their ships are fairing. When the conversation was obviously dwindling, if not nonexistent, their father inconspicuously signaled the servants to serve the food. 

The thought of food made Sakura’s shoulder lighten somewhat, at least eating was better than sitting like a statue. Their father seen to it that Mito and her participated as little as possible in the conversation.

Kaichi’s eyes never left her person though, and Sakura wasn’t above in not replying to this man’s unnerving stare with an equally apathetic stare of her own. The ocean in his eyes seemed to glimmer with amusement but Sakura didn’t know this man. This wasn’t her father. She doesn’t know if that glimmer of his eyes meant amusement like her father’s eyes.

Sakura hardened her heart and didn’t assume.

No matter how much she missed her father. She resisted the urge to hug Kaichi.

_ "Sakura-chan, otou-san's home! Where are my cuddles?" _

“Right, let’s leave business talk for another time. Please enjoy the meals, hopefully it suits your tastes.”

“Ah, I hope so as well.”

Sakura could see how deceivingly gentle their father held his chopsticks. She could practically hear the thoughts of her father. _‘I would love to stab this bastard.’_

Eating was spent in silence and Sakura didn’t know which she preferred. The dead conversation or the fact that she couldn’t taste her food. In front of her, she could see Mito eat her food with slow gait that showed how the red head’s appetite wasn’t quite there. 

“I’m taking my granddaughters.”

Sakura didn’t know it was possible but the atmosphere got heavier. Her father visibly tensed at Kaichi’s words. Asakari’s hackles were raised. Mito froze from her eating as well. They weren’t idiots, Mito knew that Kaichi was talking about them.

Sakura had a guess that this man was their relative, but for them to be his _granddaughters_? That would mean… _‘Mama’s dad?’_ Which really lead to a lot of questions concerning her parent’s marriage but then again, she was decades years in the past where arranged and political marriages were the norm. It even existed in her time though it was rare.

Usually, when a man is angered they shout but their father raged in a different way. A scarier way, where he still behaved normally so no one ever really thought he was angry until he was ready to deal the final blow. However Sakura knew him, knew him well, and she knew that her father was beyond pissed. 

Sakura didn’t know it was a front to hide his anxiety, the gnawing feeling in his mind at the possibility of losing his daughters. Putting down his fork with a soft clink, that he wasn’t prone to do as a shinobi, Asakari spoke without a smile. His face remained neutral, but his eyes were a different story. 

Legends spoke of how violet eyes were signs of godhood, were signs of the ancients and the giants that roamed earth before chakra. Uzumaki Asakari looked every bit of a god with his red and golden robes, his flaming hair, and his dark swirling violet eyes.

“What do you mean, Kaichi-san?” But it seemed the mountain of a man that was her grandfather had a heart of the sea, calm and undaunted. Anxiety eased in Sakura’s mind, this dinner was unpleasant and she was right, she shouldn’t have come here in the first place. Sakura wanted to glare at the ceiling beam where she _knew_ Rokku was hiding behind but that would give away his position.

As much as she loved her old father, the father of her past, this man was nothing like him. Kizashi was all warm fields and cool rivers, he was comfortable and relaxing. Kaichi might look like him but he was an ocean, deep and overwhelming, with his large stature and quiet that border-lined as rude persona.

Sakura didn’t want to go anywhere with this man. Much less traveling throughout the sea. Mito looked like she would root herself into her seat if she could.

“I mean what I said. Our ship sails three days from now, with my granddaughters on board.”

“I’m _sorry,_ Kaichi-san, but there _are_ rules that-”

“We are seafaring folks, people of the sea. There are no rules against taking back one’s family-”

“You forget, Uzumaki blood runs through my daughters veins-”

“Which is regrettable but negligible, really-” 

Rokku’s tension could reach Sakura all the way to her seat. It was uncomfortable how two giants fought a battle of wills, their topic being herself and her sister. It was annoying how she had no say in this. She heard a quiet creak and looked down. Her chopsticks were cracking in her knuckle white grip. She let go of the wooden utensils.

“The moment we took Kohana into our fold, our families are united. By blood and by water, the oath has taken root and to destroy it will lead to the fires of war.”

Her father’s last words made Sakura wince in her seat. Such a bold declaration against family, it was frowned upon. The men, bordering around Kaichi’s imposing figure, became evidently restless with the twitching of their arms as they try to feign eating their meals.

Sakura was surprised they haven’t puked it out yet with how the tension curled around her stomach and _squeezed_.

“Be that as it may, my granddaughters will come with me.” 

“ _You_ can’t just-” Sakura would note this in history as one of the rare moments their father actually lost his shit to even forgo politeness.

“My daughter died here.” _‘No. He wouldn’t.’_ Sakura thought, Mito’s glare to her food faltered.

It was unfair. The older man didn’t even need to shout. With just one quiet statement, he reduced her father into a cracked teacup, broken and apprehensive. Kaichi continued, seeing that her father was at a loss for words; a dangerous thing to allow in politics.

“I will not leave them here.” 

The hidden message _I will not let them end the same_ was heard throughout the room. Her father had visibly paled but his stature remained strong. Strong yet visibly anguished. Sakura was surprised at how Mito didn’t burst into a fiery fit yet.

That was before Sakura stole a peek to her right and saw Mito outright glaring at their grandfather, who seemed to pay no mind at the scathing look of a child. If anything he looked pleased, most probably at Mito for having a spine to show what she felt. Sakura had no such backbone. Her eyes were on her father, hoping that she could offer him her comfort. 

However her father not once looked her way and continued to stare down Kaichi, head of the seafarers. 

“With all due respect,” Her father’s face remained neutral as his eyes remained malevolent. “I think _my_ daughters have the right to choose regarding this _matter_.” Asakari spat the last word like it was a curse and, to their family, maybe it was. 

A few seconds passed by and Sakura thought that was the end of it. She was elated to know that their father prioritized their opinions as well, since this entire mess was centered around them. She knew, however, the ramifications of butting in a conversation meant for two clan heads.

“Very well,” The room's heavy atmosphere still did not let up. She hoped Rokku was at least trying to relax his muscles. It must be painful to be cramped up in the ceiling. “-I will not take both but just one. Fair for both families who have lost the same person. Precious as my daughter was, _her_ daughters deserve freedom from these golden chains.”

Sakura felt cold at the threat of separating with Mito. It didn’t matter what _freedom_ their grandfather offered, she’d rather be stuck with the gold chains along with her sister. She doesn’t even know what chains this old man was referring to. Being the clan head’s children? Yeah, that painted a huge target sign behind their back.

Their father took a page from Kaichi’s book and didn’t deign the seafarer a reply. Asakari resumed eating, then they all resumed eating. Kaichi was the last one to lift his utensil, he stared at her father for a while before seemingly satisfied at the slight trembling hands of the Uzumaki head.

Kaichi seemed to have achieved his goal and Sakura wanted to burn the victorious aura he radiated. _Kizashi, Kizashi, Otou-san. I'm sorry._

_ "Mebuki is already gone, and I cannot lose you to this war. Please, Sakura, come back home." _

* * *

Mito gritted her teeth, _'I didn't want this.'_

She knew the stories of her mother's family, of the sea-walkers, sea-dwellers. Mito had always wanted to meet them, she told her mother so. Every tale her mother told about her family was like an adventure. Also, pirates. They fought pirates and that was cool, cooler than being a pirate.

_“I wanna meet them too!”_

Her mother’s eyes glimmered at her younger self back then, Mito didn’t know if it was due to unshed tears or hope. Hope that one day, some day, Kohana would go back to the sea and be free from the golden chains of the Uzumaki.

_“Next time, sweetie, they’re busy right now. You will absolutely love my father. He’s the first kindest man I have ever met. Don’t tell your father though, they don’t like each other that much.”_

_“But why?”_

_“Hm, because they’re fighting for the ‘Kindest Man’ title right now. They don’t want to lose.”_

_“Like when Sakura-chan and I fight for the last unagi?”_

_“Yes, sweetie, exactly like that.”_

What a cruel joke for her to meet with them after her mother died.Mito didn’t know that her mother was a liar. Their grandfather was _anything_ but kind. He almost made their father cry last night and Mito hated him for it.

_‘He was scary,’_ Mito thought. She never wanted to be in the same room as that man again. He had weird red hair that wasn’t really red, more like _really_ dark pink and Mito hated how she knew this man’s lineage gave Sakura her cute blossom hair.

But when dinner was over and they were excused, what Mito really hated was herself. She was such a _crybaby_. After Rokku escorted them to their room, and they were given as much privacy as the guard offered, Mito felt the tears started dripping down her face and she was _horrified_. 

She wasn’t scared of the old man!

She just… just doesn’t want to leave her family, but surely her father could do something about that rude seaman! Her father was strong and- and he was the head of the clan! Surely, their father won’t let them go without a fight.

_‘Why did he let okaa-san go?’_ Mito squashed the annoying voice in her head, her father didn’t _let_ okaa-san go. Their father protected their mother, but the bad guys were just _cheaters_ and did something _nasty._ Mito refused to acknowledge the fact that her father lost. Her father was strong, stronger than _anyone_ and he was the kindest man ever and that rude old man could suck on a sea-urchin for Mito cared.

Still, to her frustration, the tears rolled down her face as she tucked herself in the futon. 

“Mito-chan?”

It was _unfair_ , how her sister could be so composed after that disaster of a dinner. Her sister was always the calm one, always the mature one, always _always_ the one comforting _her_ when she was the one who was born first! That made her older by a few minutes, but Mito wasn’t anything like her soft, gentle, caring sister. She ignored her twin and rolled over to face the other side, the side where Sakura wouldn’t see her ugly wet face.

Mito was fierce, and too _rough_ as her handmaidens whisper behind her back. _Boisterous,_ they say like it was a bad thing. Mito didn’t mind, it was true and her mother loved her for it. 

_“My little wild fire,”_

Her mother would tell her and she would beam, fires were awesome! They give heat, and warmth and- and they help cook food! They also offer protection and- and Mito couldn’t breathe.

_‘I miss my mom.’_ Was the only thing going through her head, and it rang true throughout her entire being. Meeting her mother’s family dredged up unwanted memories of storytelling in the gardens by the pond and her heart _ached_.

“ _Mito_ ,” The red head was stubborn, and a bit too out of it, so she didn’t dare to face her sister. Her sister who always helped _her_ , who was always been there for _her_ when Mito was always being such a-!

“ _Hey_ , don’t do that Mito. Don’t ignore me, _please_.”

Mito glared at her pink haired sister when she was abruptly turned over, but the sight of tears rolling down her face made Mito falter. Mito forgot Sakura was a silent crier. Another thing that was different between them. Whilst Mito was a messy and sniveling crybaby, Sakura was a messy, _quiet_ crybaby. 

Mito could never understand how her sister does it, how she keeps all the ache, all the _noise_ inside her even as tears flowed.

“What’s wrong?” There it was, the ever caring pink haired girl Mito came to detest when it was directed her way. 

Every time Mito saw green canopy eyes, all Mito saw was her failure to keep her composure like some snot-nosed brat. But here she was, some snot-nosed brat, who couldn’t keep her tears from shedding and not the heiress to the prestige Uzumaki clan. 

_‘It wasn’t fair,’_ How the elders decided that she was named the lone heir and Sakura the second. _It wasn’t fair._ Sakura was more _capable_ than _she_ was but all the elders saw was her red hair and fiery attitude and decided _“Ah, this one, this one will lead us to prosperity,”_ all the while forgoing her dear sister who was shunned for being pink haired instead of red.

“Mito?” It was quiet, only the sounds of sniffling tears and shallow breaths.

“… I don’t wanna leave.” Mito avoided Sakura’s all-seeing stare. It was so _annoying_ how Sakura seemed to know Mito so well while Mito couldn’t even guess what was going through the pinkette’s head. A sharp intake of breath, and it wasn’t Mito’s.

“We’re _not_ going _anywhere,_ ” A pause and Mito felt something uncomfortable settle in her stomach. “Unless you want to.”

But here’s the thing, Mito already said she didn’t want to leave. Mito wanted to go on adventures, but with coming back home in mind. Sakura, however, didn’t say a word concerning the possible uprooting of themselves and being thrown on a ship set to sail. It scared Mito.

Mito didn’t want to leave home, she didn’t want to leave her kind, loving father nor her dear sister. But her sister seemed to think otherwise, during dinner.

Mito wasn’t blind nor was she unobservant, despite her loud attitude. She noticed how her sister’s eyes never left that old man, only once to look at their father, but other than that Sakura’s eyes were always directed to the opposite end of the table. 

It left Mito cold, to see _recognition_ and _relief_ sparkle in her viridian orbs. As far as she knew, they never met this old man before. _Unless_ , Sakura did and Mito wasn’t there. Mito never saw her sister look so thankful, so blessed to see that loathsome old man.

Never mind the sadness that exuded her sister at first, because the sadness was dwarfed with the obvious happiness that shined in her eyes the moment the rude man entered the room.

Mito _knew_ Sakura was thinking about it. Thinking about _leaving_ and Mito felt empty at the thought. 

“Okay,” Mito breathed out, Sakura said it herself. _‘‘We’re’ as in we as in Sakura and I weren’t going anywhere.’_

Mito was too much of a coward and a child to ask her sister if she actually wanted to leave, wanted to go with their _grandfather._

Mito didn’t ask because she was terrified at how her sister looked at that magenta haired man with such veiled _longing._ Like Sakura actually _missed_ that stranger.

“Its going to be fine, Mito-chan,” Mito let Sakura wipe off the tears on her face with the sleeves of her yukata, Sakura wiped off Mito’s tears first before even wiping off her own. “Sleep.” Her sister whispered and Mito felt warm.

_‘See,’_ Mito thought as Sakura laid down beside her. _‘Sakura-chan loves me. She loves Otou-san, too. She won’t leave. She won’t.’_

_‘Okaa-san loved us too, she loved Otou-san too. She still left anyway.’_ But that was different, Mito knew. Her mother died. She didn’t left, she was killed and Mito burned as rage surged through her bones at the thought of her mother’s killer. She will find that man, and make him suffer.

Mito glanced at her sister, and saw the pink haired child trying to even out her breathing. The red head took that chance to grip Sakura’s sleeves. To anchor herself or her sister, Mito didn’t know but with the soft silk under her fingers she found herself relaxing.

Even though the night was tiring and horrible, with her mother’s song coming out from her sister’s lips, Mito dreamt peacefully.

_Just close your eyes, the sun is going down_

_You’ll be alright, no one can hurt you now_

_Come morning light, you and I’ll be safe and sound_

* * *

"I want Sakura-hime to come with us, Mito-hime can stay here. Unless she wants to join us as well."

"Kaichi-san, I'm afraid I've already given _my_ answer-"

" _I'm_ afraid that I wasn't asking for your answer," A pause. ""I'm awaiting _Sakura's_ answer." And the way her name was without a suffix was intimate and obviously wanting to point out that _he_ , her grandfather by blood, was close with her enough to call her like that. Sakura hated how this man's voice had the same vocals with Kizashi. She hated how her heart warmth at it.

Belatedly, she realize it was a horrible decision to be present for lunch. The entire compound has been in a complete buzz at the blatant disrespect and threat the clan received, outright claiming one of their heirs? _Preposterous._

So her father decided, along with the servants and the rest of the family, to distract them and excuse their absences in breakfast due to their 'rigorous' training. Nevertheless, it was rude to ignore guests by not gracing them at the table. They were able to escape breakfast, but it would really be discourteous to not eat lunch with them.

The Uzumaki were known for being great hosts, great mediators. A fight within their family was unheard of but were plenty, kept within tight wraps to never see the light of day outside the compound or village.

However, the heavens seem to really not like the idea of letting Sakura have a nice day today.

"Ah, welcome, children. Have a seat, I take it you had a nice morning?" It was really telling how he didn't even let their own father greet them first. Kaichi showed them what must've been his version of a smile, it made it easier for Sakura to differentiate him with her past father. Kizashi didn't smile like a shark.

"Yes, thank you for asking, Kaichi-sama. We were in class." Sakura answered for both of them sounding as thankful as possible, it was clear for her that Mito was having trouble maintaining her polite attitude. Already the giddiness Mito had due to their sealing lessons were melted away from the redhead as they head in the private dining room.

She just hoped that the redhead won't explode. They took their seats and Sakura noticed how the table was smaller and familiar. It was designed for four people, and the twins were perfectly adjacent to both their father and grandfather who were on opposite sides as they were. As soon as she sat, Sakura recognized the ornate carvings on the wooden surface.

Lunch was a private thing, privy to close family and close relations unless in a formal setting. Obviously, since only the four of them were present, this setting was supposed to be a family thing. It was laughable at best. No wonder Kaichi was without his retainers and Asakari brought out the family dining table they haven't used since their mother's death.

Still, it made Sakura feel funny at the thought of having the table full again.

"Oh? About what?"

"Our family's history." And it was such a stupid move to tell the truth with how the older man's face darkened. Although, even if she did lie Sakura wasn't really good at it and would probably be caught red handed. The sharp look her sister sent her way made Sakura's polite smile a bit more endearing, silently directed at her sister for forgiveness.

_"Did you know, Sakura? That- that damn village planned the massacre, commanded it to my brother. My clan- my family! All dead! And for what?"_

"Hm, what do you usually do in the afternoon?" Sakura blinked away the image of a sad raven haired boy. She needs to be focused. Sakura smiled, hoping no one noticed her daydreaming.

Clearly, Kaichi thought the smile was for him because his face lightened somewhat and Sakura allowed the change of topic thought it confused her. The way her father kept silent also baffled her, what on earth did they talk about in secret?

"Uhm," Additionally, Sakura has no idea why he was suddenly interested in how her days went but she felt like a geninn again trying to tell her adventures at the academy to her doting father, but this man was not Kizashi. "Mostly Mito and I meditate and do some extra reading…."

"No time to play? That is sad, children your age should socialize with other children." And not be cooped up here at some ancient house, was went unsaid. Mito stabbed her food with a bit too much force than necessary and a glance to her father made Sakura aware of the storm brewing ahead.

"Mito and I play a lot together, sometimes. We play hide and seek, and sometimes we help out in the kitchen to cook-"

"Both of you can cook?" The pinkette resisted the urge to glare at the man for the interruption, instead offering a tight smile. _'Play nice,'_ A voice crooned at her. _'Then rip his head off when no one's looking.'_

"Yes, only simple things though. Like onigiri and soup, maybe some unagi." And for the first time since she met the man, Sakura saw what seemed to be an honest smile when she mentioned the last dish. It was her favorite, along with Mito. Well, it was their mother who taught- oh.

"That is remarkable, and how old are you?" Sakura squashed her earlier line of thought, of course this man was also sad. He just hid it really, really well beneath his rude and apathetic behavior. It reminded her of a boy she knew well. And just like what she said to the boy she thought, _'Unhealthy to keep it to yourself.'_

"Five, we're turning six in spring." Sakura made sure to swallow before talking, she just wanted to eat in peace. Looking at Mito, the redhead appeared to have the same sentiments as she picked apart her food.

"Still have a long way to go then," _'A long way to go for what?'_ Kaichi paused, mulling over in thought before opening his mouth to say something but her father had other plans.

"Sakura-chan, why don't you try the umeboshi? Takara made it, he said you took a liking to it?" Their father smoothly intercepted the conversation, and it was evident that Kaichi was annoyed but didn't do anything about it. The umeboshi was really good though, reminded her of home, even though she had never actually seen Takara yet. In fact, most of the members rarely mention him and Sakura has no idea why.

"Its delicious, papa." Ah, it just slipped off her tongue and Sakura felt the inkling heat spreading across her cheeks indicating her face was reddening as several eyes turned towards her. She should have addressed her father as 'Otou-san' or something and not some childish title as 'Papa'. Ugh. Being reverted back into a child made her loose her adultness or whatever.

Her father seemed to like it though, his smile lost some of its ferocity and more of a smug tone.

"I thought you'd like it." Her father replied and Kaichi seemed to ignore it for the most part, calmly drinking his tea. The rest of the meal was finished in silence, and Mito

"Sakura-san are you free this afternoon?" _'Yes,'_ She wanted to reply with scary instancy and Sakura bit her lips for the word not to tumble out of her mouth. Kaichi saw her bit her lips and his gaze hardened, no longer exuding the soft gentle waves of the sea it earlier showed. Sakura could feel Mito zoom in on her face, along with her father's unwavering stare.

"Uh, I think so?" Sakura internally winced at the unsureness in her answer before quickly following it up with a more concrete one. "Yes, although I have plans on visiting the library in the middle court sometime after lunch."

Kaichi nodded at her answer, obviously pleased she had free time and before her father could intervene and tell the seaman she actually _had_ more plans and was not free at all in the afternoon, the magenta haired man smiled a smile she hasn't seen in a long time.

"Would you like to have tea with me?" Then, their grandfather glanced at Mito's rude stare, continued. "Mito-hime is also welcomed too join in, though she must be busy training as clan heiress and all."

"Yes, Mito-chan will be busy with her sealing lessons in the afternoon. Sakura-chan has her own plans for today." Their father finally spoke. Asakari glanced at his fuming redhead daughter before at Sakura. She could feel the worry in his eyes.

Sakura didn't like how manipulative this man was capable of. She also didn't like the fact that he was trying to separate her and Mito, and how the conversation has been effectively excluding her sister but that was half Mito's fault for not wanting to talk to Kaichi.

Seeing that the old man was still asking for her answer, Sakura replied. She hoped her father wouldn't mind. It was just tea. Maybe she could bring Rokku with her. "It would be an honor, Kaichi-sama-"

"Ah, you may address me as Oji-san. I'm sorry for being curt last night, the travel was exhausting." Sakura resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow at the sudden offer and nodded slowly, indirectly telling the old man what the hell was wrong with him. Sakura mimicked his faux politeness.

_"Ah, Ugly, I have come to escort you to one of Dickless's unplanned 'team bonding' dinners."_

"Ah, if you say so, Kaichi-oji-san." The old man nodded, ignoring her jibe.

"Great, Oboro will escort you to my residence later. You'll be found in the library, I presume?" Mito bristled at the idea of leaving her alone but Sakura shot her a look to not blow up. Asakari already blew up at dinner, when he spoke of war. She really didn't want to test this man's patience if she could help it.

"Yes, the library in the middle court." Sakura recalled the man in black and his unfamiliar face, she doesn't want to risk interacting with a stranger. "What does Oboro-san look like?"

Kaichi looked at her, and seemed to approve of her question, before answering. "Oboro is one of my trusted retainers, and my captain of the ship. He hailed from the mountains and has dark skin. His hair is," The magenta haired man paused in thought, his face showing brief distaste before quickly continuing his explanation. "Long and bright. He has black eyes. A bit loud but he is skilled."

"I see," Except she _couldn't_ see, that description could almost be anyone of her family of bright hair. Sakura doesn't know if this old man was intentionally infuriating her or he honestly had no idea how to describe his right hand. That would be really wrong, seeing that this man was a respected merchant with a reputation across the land.

Kaichi must've seen the brief displeasure on her face because he offered her a shark smile again. "Don't worry, you'll know it's him once you see him."

Sakura smiled in response and didn't say anything further. Mito was buzzing in her seat, wanting to join in the conversation but has no idea how. Sakura was glad her sister was smart and maturing enough to hold in her barrage of questions.

* * *

"Hello, you must be Sakura-hime! My name is Chinoike Oboro, I've been given the honor to escort you to the old man." Rokku had sensed the man before he even opened the door. And true to Sakura's words, the man was dark skinned and bright haired like a daffodil.

"Hello, Oboro-san-"

"You really are as adorable as the boss said you were! You can call me Ro-kun for short, Oboro is such a long, dreary word." Rokku seriously doubted the head of the seafarers regaled stories of how cute their princess was, though it was undeniably _true_ that Sakura was adorable. He resisted the urge to pummel the man, who looked no older than he was, for his disrespect to their princess. Sakura just nodded, hesitantly, before offering a polite smile.

Rokku wondered why this man was named 'gloomy' when his attitude said otherwise.

"Ro-kun, its nice to meet you," Sakura turned to him and Rokku tried to not glare at the smiling man. The princess was playing nice, so he would play nice as well.

"This is my retainer, Rokku-nii." Rokku did not smile, but he also did not glare which was as polite as he would allow to this intruder.

"Its a pleasure to meet you as well, Sakura-hime." The blond grinned at her before looking at him, Rokku congratulated himself for not flinching at the sight of blinding teeth. "I see that we have similar names, Rokku-san! Its nice to meet you too!"

The redhead did not like the gleam in the man's black eyes, so he just nodded in reply. In fact, Rokku concluded that he did not like the man's eyes at all. This Oboro man looked like a blind person, if not for how fluid he moved within his surroundings Rokku would have thought so.

Oboro didn't look bothered by his lack of reply, and turned to Sakura with an offending appendage Rokku was tempted to remove from his body.

"Well then, shall we go, princess?" His princess was smart, Rokku knew. So when she looked hesitantly at the offered hand, Rokku was about to offer his own just so that this yellow haired seaweed would back the fuck up. But his plan was shattered when not a second later Sakura's hand was clasped together with the sea dweller's hand.

"Ah, lead the way Ro-kun." The redhead felt his eyebrow twitch, and hoped that his disdain was visible to only the yellow haired stranger and not his princess. _'Kami, what was Asakari-sama thinking? Letting Sakura-hime be with that old man,'_ Rokku resisted the urge to groan. _'Damn it.'_

Thankfully, Oboro wisely decided to shut his trap as he lead them to the shark den. Rokku did not like how Sakura was buzzing with questions, but kept it to herself. She shouldn't be _curious_ about these _people_. God, why was the princess always like this with new things?

This entire escort was a farce anyhow, Rokku could have escorted Sakura to her destination in the first as his honor and duty as Sakura's guard. _'What the hell are they up to?'_

"Here we are!" When the man kneeled unexpectedly in front of Sakura, Rokku controlled himself to not skewer the man. His grey eyes narrowed at how swift the man was able to move that even Rokku wasn't expecting it. _'This bumbling fool is dangerous.'_

"Now princess, I know our old man is uh," _'An asshole.'_ Oboro better _not_ say what Rokku thought he'd say. Oboro paused with a glance towards him and because he was behind Sakura's back he allowed himself to glare at the man. His princess didn't need to know, this man was as annoying and noisy as they come. "He's a bit of a rascal, so don't take some of his words to heart, okay? He's a good man once you get to know him." Sakura _didn't_ have to get to know the merchant, they _weren't_ close.

That man hadn't visited the past three years. Kaichi shouldn't have any right to get the attention of his princess like that, _even_ if he was their grandfather. Rokku rolled his eyes at the blond's last words, and it must've hit a nerve because the man's smile was tighter and less blinding than before. The redhead felt satisfied with that. Good to know the feeling of dislike was mutual.

"Okay, Ro-kun," Sakura paused and glanced at him with a small smile that did not reassure Rokku one bit but he offered a smile of his own. Hopefully it looked sincere as it was uncomfortable on his face. He did not smile often, and Sakura didn't bother him for it unlike Mito. "I'm ready to have tea."

Oboro smiled at that and Rokku, for a moment, was seized with envy at how warm and sincere it looked. This man had _no_ right to smile at his princess like that, they didn't _know_ each other.

"Gods, you're so adorable with your pink hair and chubby cheeks! I'll bring some sweets later, the old man most likely didn't prepare any with his boring taste. Would that be okay?" The man stood up, and Rokku glared in warning when Oboro tried to ruffle Sakura's pink hair. The man wisely retreated his hand.

"Uh, okay?" Then as if horrified at how hesitant and undignified it sounded, Sakura continued. "I mean, yes. Yes, that would be okay." Oboro had the gull to laugh at his reddening princess.

"Then, I'll bring some. What would you like? We've brought a few treats from our travels too! He wouldn't say it but Kaichi-oji-san actually-" Without warning the shoji doors they were in front of slid opened with such force that their hairs ruffled at the wind it produced.

Rokku eased his grip on the wakizashi sheathed on his left, once again he was reminded how all of this was _dangerous_ because these men were _dangerous_ and Rokku could only hope if worse came to worse, he'd be able to alert the guards and let Sakura escape.

"Enough, Oboro." Blue eyes glanced at him and his calm offensive stance before looking at Sakura, who blinked her doe green eyes back at the man. Kaichi was every bit of a mountain he was rumored to be, even with his offending hair color the man was intimidating. Kaichi and Oboro had this short, silent communication that had Oboro smiling and turning to leave.

"It was nice to meet you, Sakura-hime! You too, Rokku!" The blond disappeared as he turned into a hallway, without giving the princess a chance to reply, and Rokku bristled at the lack of respect.

"Sakura, come in. Your guard will stay outside." There was no way he was doing that but before he could say anything there was a hand on his hand and Rokku knew this hand, he'd held it often in the garden.

"Rokku-nii, can you guard outside?" _'Damn it, damn it.'_ Rokku did not like where this was going, he didn't like a lot of things that happened today but they happened anyway.

"... Yes, Sakura-hime but-"

"Then stay here," Viridian eyes connected with his and he cursed this child, she knew he rarely said no to either her and Mito. "please?"

Knowing he would regret his decision someway, somehow Rokku grounded out. "Yes, Sakura-hime."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! So yeah at least I've been keeping up with that once a week updates.
> 
> Surprise! No Uchiha or Senju but the Ringo clan! Which is not entirely made up, remember it was the last name of one of the deadly Seven Swordsmen of the Mist? Yup! Totally relatable because Ameyuri Ringo had red hair too.
> 
> Anyways, I actually wanted for the Senju to show up but figured I still have to handle their mother's death. It would be unrealistic to not have their mother's side not show up. So there.
> 
> What do you think will happen next?? Will Sakura venture out the countries via sea?? Will she meet the Senju and Uchiha among her travels? Or will she stay with the clan? 
> 
> Disclaimer! The lullaby was from Taylor Swift's safe and sound, it rang nicely to my ears while writing this.
> 
> Any suggestions?? Leave a comment! I read all of your comments and I'm really so thankful to have lovely readers.
> 
> Thank you!


	4. To dig your heel in the dirt

**_To dig your feet in the dirt_ **

_"This place had taken root in my mind._

_This place, a home my garden had built."_

* * *

“How do you like the tea?”

“It feels like flowers are blooming in my mouth, it’s really delightful.” Sakura stared at her reflection in the tea, politely not staring at how Kaichi’s eyes glazed over in a reminiscing daze. Everything was just so _awkward_ and if not awkward then _depressing_ with how dark the room seemed to be despite the open windows. The dark clouds rolling outside told her it would rain and as much as Sakura enjoyed the rain, it was hard to enjoy it these times. That and it meant she couldn’t train in anything except meditating.

“Thank you for inviting me for tea, Kaichi-oji-san.” Ever since entering her grandfather’s room and taking her seat across the old man on the chabudai, all Sakura saw was a tired old man. He reminded her of an old pipe, crystal balls, a kind smile, and weirdly enough even monkeys. It confused her a whole lot and she just couldn’t put a name to the shadow she saw behind Kaichi. A shadow that wasn’t Kizashi. However, the feelings that came with it weren’t positive. If anything disappointment and understanding flooded her system but for what Sakura didn’t know.

Forgiveness was a stark flower growing inside her belly and she doesn’t know why she felt like that. **_Ignorant. Massacre. That old, naive buffoon._**

Sakura chose to ignore it for the most part. She chose to ignore most of her past because it just physically _hurt_ whenever she tried to remember, and the feeling, the _longing_ , to go back hurt her as much as the feeling of wanting to _stay_ for Mito and her father. She wished everything was just a dream. That Mito was a dream, that her father’s warm hugs were nothing but the figment of her imagination, that Rokku’s minute smiles were all part of some elaborate genjutsu and she was actually rotting at some abandoned battlefield. She missed Naruto. Naruto and Kakashi, Ino, her shishou. She just missed _everyone so damn much_. So she chose to not remember most of them because her heart _burned_ whenever she remembered and it felt like she was drowning.

Forgetting was easier.

This was her life now, and not those blurry visions she sees at night. She remembered golden hair, masked face, and red eyes. She embraced the ache that came along with those thoughts but then she thought of Mito, of her father, of Rokku and decided this was what she has now. She forgot too many, recalled too little important things and it pained her, it did. It left an ache, an emptiness in her small five-year-old chest she doesn’t know how to fill. She felt hollow every time she heard words only she could hear, heard the whispers of memories that never fully showed itself and Sakura wondered if it was a curse at some point.

She wasn’t going to let some ghosts she didn’t know haunt her and wreck her life.

To feel the love of her people, but to not know them, not really, it left her heart constricting and collapsing in itself. Sometimes, she prayed to not remember anything at all but then regretted it. She doesn’t want to _completely_ forget but she doesn’t want to remember either.

Then she thought of Mito, Rokku, her father and she’s just so _grateful_ to be alive, here and now with her current family who _loved_ her and _never_ let her be alone. She decided that this, whatever she has now, this place is the one she will protect. The Uzumaki was her family, and now that man in front of her was a surprise addition to it. A surprise but a welcomed one.

Kaichi was vastly different from the way he held himself in front of her father, like an unmoving ocean. Now, sitting across the table dwarfed by his size, with his hand swirling the cup slowly to mix the tea Sakura could only describe it with fatigue.

“Ah… good. That’s good.” He said, his mind absent. His eyes also had the habit of drifting away into a faraway place only Kaichi could see. Sakura could relate to that, she does that sometimes too. They haven’t really conversed properly yet. They sat in silence and drank their tea. She was pleasantly surprised when she lifted the teacup to her mouth, the fragrance was nice and soft. The way it flooded her tastebuds eased some of the tension in her muscles. Its been an hour now.

She hoped there was nothing in the tea like a relaxant. She really hoped this man was as kind as their mother portrayed him to be. She really hoped she could gain a family that was so similar to the family she originally had. Sakura’s little heart felt heavy with guilt at the thought of using this sad man just for her own happiness, this man wasn’t her original father.

“Where did you find this? I’ve never seen flower tea like this before.” Sakura decided to continue the conversation. She agreed to come here because, mostly, she wanted to hear stories of his travels. Like how their mother told them. Also, she wanted to have tea with this man who reminded her so much of her past father, who made her remember past memories she’d been secretly longing to remember but can’t accept.

“Southward from here, there are islands littered with trees and flowers. There’s a small port town where we docked, called Degarashi, locals said that tea was their specialty so we traded with them. Honest people, they were, a bit too distrustful for a trading town but everyone is these days.”

Sakura didn’t doubt it, clan wars were abundant in these times and civilians don’t want to have anything to do with it. Sakura eyed the wrapped treats on the chabudai, they were brought by Oboro and looked vaguely familiar. Like she’d seen it every day but never really appreciated it.

“What are these?”

_“Gaara told me you liked the kakuzato. You have to try this one, doc, its a sin to not know its taste when you’re in Suna.”_

“I was told it’s made of various fruits and ripened with sugar. Travelers called it kakuzato. The locals had a longer name for it but, in my old age, I don’t remember what it was. I’m not one for sweets but-” Kaichi paused and Sakura had no idea why the man hesitated but she let it be. “I’ve been told children adore it.”

Everything was so _awkward_. The way Kaichi pushed the bowl of treats toward her was awkward. The way he looked expectantly at her when the bowl was in front of her made _her_ feel awkward. The way she hovered her hand above the sweets, unsure which one to pick, was awkward. Sakura took one carefully from the pile, it called to her somehow. It was wrapped with clear plastic and she could see the cube-shaped sweet. It was purple, speckled with black dots, and covered in sugar.

Though, Sakura could not deny that she felt giddy at the fact that Kaichi bought this with Mito and her in mind. She wondered what it would taste like.

“It’s really sweet. What fruit was this from?”

“If I recall correctly, it was from a peculiar fruit,” Sakura forced herself to swallow and finish the sweet, this better not have poison or terrible aftertaste. “Locals called it dragon’s fruit, because of its skin that is similar to dragon’s scales. It’s from the Wind Country, westward from here, there's a port somewhere south called Kazehashi.”

She remembered it. It was Sunagakure’s old delicacies, aimed to bring brief happiness to the people who lived in the harsh desert. Gaara gave it to her when she stayed in his village for a while because she had, uh had to- what did she do there again? Sakura bit her cheeks in frustration, _‘I don’t remember. No no no, why don’t I remember? Think, think.’_

Face paint and puppets, the wind was unbearable and Sakura remembered dirty blonde hair. Greenhouses filled with plants she’d never seen before, sand was always on her. On her legs, on her arms. Red hair. Teal eyes always looking at her, and sweets. _“Why don’t you stay a bit longer?”_

“I’m sorry, do you not like it?” Pulled out of her reverie, Sakura was greeted with ocean eyes deep with worry and regret. Sakura couldn’t make herself lie to this man.

“No, sorry, I was reminded of something familiar.” This time around, Kaichi was the one who looked at her but saw something different. Again, he was remembering things she wasn’t privy too. Just like how she was remembering things he wasn’t privy too. This tea was like a catching up thing of some sort but neither of them spoke about it, about the memories they remember.

“You must’ve tasted it before, Kohana probably gave you some.”

“Mama?” Sakura was reminded of how much of a child she was when she heard the name of her mother, she hasn’t heard it in a while and suddenly the only past she had was the five years she experienced here in the compound.

“Yes, your mother must’ve taken some before we left. Ah, ever since she was a child she always had a sweet tooth.” Kaichi looked tired when he smiled like that, and Sakura was reminded that he also lost someone important. That her mother wasn’t just an important person to the Uzumaki but to Kaichi and his family as well. It left an awful taste in her mouth.

“Yeah… I- I like sweet things too. Mama made a lot when she had time.”

“Really?”

Sakura nodded, before grabbing one more kakuzato. Honestly, this whole thing was making her nervous and she didn’t know why. Maybe, its because she wasn’t over losing her mother. Maybe, its because her grandfather wasn’t over it either. Maybe, it’s because she knew how terrible it must’ve felt to not have attended the funeral due to his busy schedule. To not be able to see them one more time, one last time.

“She gets really happy when she made food. She said food brings people together.” For the first time since she met the man, Kaichi’s eyes lightened at her last words. He let out a quiet chuckle and Sakura was worried at how weak it made him seem to her.

“That silly girl, she’s more of an Akimichi with that stomach of hers.” Something changed in the room. The air was easier to breathe, and Sakura wasn’t tensed anymore. Rokku would berate her for being so lax in front of the enemy, but he doesn’t understand. Kaichi was a family, and their family just lost one of their own. Grief was a powerful thing, it made people dangerous, made people scared.

Something entered the room, their conversation, their staring at each other, and their tea. Something like understanding but Sakura did not want to assume.

“Mama said she got that from you though,”

“I’m sure she did, but her affection for sweets was from no one but herself.”

“Then what do you like,” Sakura hesitated, this man seemed to like her. She didn’t know to what extent but Sakura figured she might as well push it. “oji-san?” It was a mere whisper, and Sakura wasn’t even sure if he heard it but the way he paused from drinking told her otherwise.

“What food do I like?” Sakura nodded at that, before stuffing another sweet cube into her mouth in hopes it would lessen the warmth on her cheeks. Talking with strangers was _embarrassing_ but Sakura wanted to get to know Kaichi. He’s her grandfather and Sakura would love whoever family she had left. She doesn’t want him to be a stranger.

“Hm, I’ve visited a lot of places, Sakura, on land and on sea. It is difficult to choose a favorite. However, one thing that I did enjoy was salmon onigiri and miso that I ate when I was traveling in the Fire Country.” Sakura scanned the old man’s face, looking for signs if he was joking with her. Onigiri and miso? Anyone could find that anywhere in Fire Country, heck even outside it.

“Why though? I thought all onigiri and miso tasted the same.” He looked amused at her assumption, and Sakura wanted him to stop looking at her like she was a silly child.

“Maybe so, but I’ve never forgotten that meal. Do you want to hear the story behind it?” Sakura nodded and the eagerness in which she did made her cringe. She was supposed to be a sensible child but here she was, acting like a silly little girl.

“Yes, I would.”

And that’s how the rest of their time was spent. Where Kaichi regaled one story to another about his travels. He told her about the towns he visited. In one town he visited was a small family inn, which was where he stayed for the duration of his visit. He told her about a cranky short woman, with brown hair and brown eyes like most civilians, who always served him his food in the inn. Salmon onigiri and miso.

“Her name was Harune. She was the daughter of the cook. She’s,” And like earlier when it concerned her mother, Kaichi was hesitant and unsure in his seat. Nothing like the seafarer head that he was last dinner. “-your grandmother.”

Sakura nodded, slowly, the words not really sinking in yet that she had a grandmother but wasn’t here. She didn’t comment on it. Like how she didn’t comment on any of the stories he told. Her silence signaled Kaichi to continue his story about how it was his first time to establish a deal with the little town. He told her about how the deal was a pain but he succeeded. Kaichi told her about how he visited the place annually in spring, staying in the same inn.

He told her about how he almost died in that quaint little town and admitted that maybe he did die someway, a part of him left in that place. Left to rot.

She just listened, quietly, not judging and a part of her realized that maybe Kaichi was just talking to himself. Sakura didn’t dwell on it, it didn’t matter, she was here to listen and learn and the way Kaichi’s shoulders sagged low with released tension made her happy.

Sometimes she’d ask questions, but mostly to sate her curiosity about how the world worked in these times. Hearing how trading and traveling worked was different from reading it in some scroll.

Just like that, with each word that came out of her grandfather’s mouth the atmosphere got more comfortable. When he ran out of words to say, or the story he particularly shared had a heavy ending, Sakura shared some stories of her own.

“One time, Mama kick Papa out of the futon so that Mito and I could sleep beside her instead.”

She told the man about his daughter. Sakura shared how her mother would tell her daughters stories about her seafaring family. About the adventures she had with them, about the adventures they had without her. She told him about how her mother loved the scrolls in their library, especially the ones that had recipes she could experiment with within the kitchen. Sakura told him about how much she missed the sea but loved the garden she grew here.

And when Kaichi turned away from her, shoulders trembling and knuckles white on the table, Sakura thought nothing of it and just finished her tea. She just realized how similar they were, with how quiet the room was as Kaichi cried.

Silence settled once more in the room, along with the peace Sakura found they could share with one another.

* * *

Dinner was never a tedious thing with his father-in-law. Asakari was always on his toes for whatever shit Kaichi had planned but tonight, the old man felt particularly talkative.

In a good way that Asakari wasn’t used to. It grated his nerves.

Kaichi initiated conversations between him and the children, sometimes Asakari put his own thoughts in but it was glaringly obvious that Kaichi did not care about his words. It was fine, Asakari was used to that. His adorable children were, however, not and they were obviously uncomfortable during the lighthearted talks about little things like food preferences or hobbies.

Sakura was taking it in stride, and not for the first time Asakari felt proud of her. Mito was having difficulties playing nice but it was to be expected, what with how she was brushed off last dinner.

Asakari still had no idea what happened between Sakura and Kaichi during their ‘tea party’. From the looks on Mito’s face, she had no idea either. The tea time went far too long than Asakari expected and they just finished right before dinner time was announced. He could feel Rokku’s chakra twitching and jumping from his restlessness, probably because that boy must’ve thought he failed at being a guard for not being with Sakura while she talked with her grandfather. He was right but that wasn’t the point Asakari wanted to highlight.

The fact is, something _happened_ between Sakura and her grandfather and Asakari wanted to know _what_.

Still, when the dinner was done and his daughters were escorted back to their quarters to sleep, Asakari felt familiar claws of anxiety sink deep within his guts. Kaichi didn’t have to know that, so Asakari did his utmost best to remain as regal as an injured lion. Rokku and Tataka were gone, guarding his daughters, and the only guard left was Kaeto. By the glances Kaichi kept shooting on top of Asakari’s head, he was pretty sure this old man was aware of where his hidden guard was located at.

Plates were cleaned from the table and both of them were nursing familiar tea, this flower tea had run out years ago and Kohana had missed it.

A cruel joke for it to be Asakari tasting it again.

It was quiet, and Asakari actually liked the silence at least he didn’t have to talk whatever bullshit he had to talk to get this old boat sailing back to sea. His daughters were staying with _him_ and that was _final._ He’s ready for war. Asakari knew the costs. He wasn’t afraid, not this time.

 _’Unless_ ,’ Asakari thought glumly, looking at his reflection in the tea. _‘Unless they want to go.’_

After dinner negotiations were as uncomfortable as always whenever his wife’s father sat like a mountain. Asakari didn’t know what to believe, he wasn’t able to take Sakura aside and ask her about what she and Kaichi talked about.

Kaichi placed his tea back on the table and the resounding clank rattled Asakari’s bones.

“You raised them well,” The Ringo clan head started. “I concede.”

This was it, the inevitable fight that’s been building up and up for his daughters- wait. What?

“Excuse me?”

Asakari realized his mistake not a second later when ocean eyes narrowed at him, silently asking him if he was deaf. Asakari stared back unflinchingly, he knew how weird and striking his violet eyes were. He was right as Kaichi looked back to his teacup.

“Sakura-chan,” Kaichi said mockingly slow. “-told me she would like to stay here until her tenth birthday.”

Asakari raised his eyebrow, offering a polite wondering smile that was sharp as a knife. “Really now,”

“I don’t play your nonsense games, Uzumaki.” The older man snapped, his hands hidden by the sleeves of his robes. Asakari just sipped his tea, at least this old man was uncomfortable as he was. “Four years from now, we will return and by then Sakura will spend the next five years with us.”

“You’d think the Uzumaki clan would agree with this?”

“You’re precious daughter did,” Kaichi said, his face was grim like a stone but it sounded like he was sneering at him. “and since you value their opinions, I’d think _this_ clan would agree.”

Asakari gritted his teeth, his jaw tightening and his mind working out a million possibilities. _This_ was what they were talking about? _Negotiating_? Oh Sakura was going to get an _earful_ from him. Even if the deal was a smart one, one that was too well thought out by a five-year-old but his daughter was a genius through and through just like her mother.

“Well since you took your _time_ finally getting to know _one_ of your granddaughters, I wasn’t able to hear this from her.” His purple eyes narrowed when Kaichi had the nerve to look regretful when he should just be ashamed. “I’d like a formal discussion between the four of us then a meeting with the council.”

“Agreed,” Kaichi said bluntly, his teacup empty and Asakari made no move to refill it.

“Life at sea isn’t safe.” He reasoned. He remembered the stories of his wife, about the storms, the maelstroms, the pirates, the _monsters,_ and the _whirlpools_.

“Life at anywhere isn’t safe.” Kaichi countered, reaching out for the teapot to refill his cup.

“I’ll be frank then,” Asakari placed down his cup. “Your clan isn’t even _pure_ , Kaichi-san. There’s no blood tying those people on your ship together. Most of them you just picked up, half of them you hired from other clans before completely buying them out. I don’t think I can trust my daughters to people even _you_ can’t trust your life to without the ways of money.”

The room became colder than it already was and Asakari really hasn’t touched his tea yet. He didn’t even take a sip of it. The flavor haunted him.

“Who said I _didn’t_ trust my people?” Kaichi scowled. “Blood may not bring my people together but we are united _nonetheless,_ much united than your clan I supposed. Blood and all that.”

Asakari controlled himself to not wince at the words. He put on a scowl of his own. He couldn’t help his words, he didn’t mean to tear open an old wound but his daughters’ safety was at stake here. He’d open _more_ than just an _old_ wound if it meant keeping them safe.

“Would I have your word no harm would come from them?” He didn’t wholeheartedly agree with this five-year deal yet but it was true Sakura needed to get some time away from the clan. Her _flower_ abilities should _never_ be discovered, not by their _family_ because Asakari feared she'd just be another tool on an anvil. Sharpened and deadly, conditioned to obey. Kaichi was right at that point. His clan was as fucked up as they came, fractured with different branches each to their own but under the same banner and rule as the main family, his family.

“No harm from my people will befall on them.”

Asakari thought about that, but his fears weren’t kept at bay even with those assuring words. He knew his father-in-law was a good man, _a great man_ , his wife would say. It made him feel bitter to recall his wife’s words about how kind Ringo Kaichi was but Asakari never saw this man as kind when it came to him and his family. Kaichi never bothered to visit the clan before, even when Kohana was settling, even when his daughters were born he didn’t bother to visit and Asakari thought that he didn’t deserve to be called _grandfather_ when he was anything but for the past years.

Still, one question had been burning at the back of his head ever since Rokku brought news about Sakura and her flowers.

“Don’t take this wrong,” Asakari warned. “but is Kohana really your daughter?”

Kaichi jerked at that and _this_ was the first time Asakari ever _saw_ the man look startled. The magenta haired man was quick to recover though as if he didn’t spill the tea on the table with his hands earlier. He had to give it to this old man, he built and bled for his current position. _Clan head and famous sea-faring merchant_. _Cold as the seas._

“What nonsense are you on about now, Asakari?” This was also one of the few times the old man even bothered to call him by name which really showed how his question affected him.

“Just asking for the truth, Kaichi-san.” Asakari didn’t smile. He too didn’t like the nonsense games his clan liked to play. Politics wasn’t something he was interested in but he was great at it, terrifyingly so. 

The older man glared at him, probably not knowing what Asakari was thinking. As old and as experienced Kaichi might be with his trade, he wasn’t bred and groomed to be a clan head unlike he was. His mask easily slipped into place without the usual smile.

“I raised her as my daughter.”

“But is she?” He asked calmly. He already felt his lungs collapsing just by _saying_ her name earlier.

"How dare you,” Kaichi seethed, quietly, furiously. “disrespect her like this.”

By the way Kaichi avoided saying her name, Asakari would begrudgingly admit they were in the same sinking and depressing boat.

“I love Kohana,” Asakari stared at him and the oceans stared back. “no matter her family.”

He sighed and glanced at his untouched tea, allowing this moment of weakness, before looking back at the old man. Though Kaichi loomed like a mountain on the other side of the table, Asakari could see how troubled he was by his confession and question.

“That will never change but I need to know from where her blood came from. The same blood that flows in my daughters’ veins. The same blood that made flowers bloom.”

The room stilled at his words and Asakari was acutely aware of Kaichi’s deep intake of breath. No one moved, not him and not his guard. Kaichi was unmoving in his seat, staring at the flower engraved teapot on the middle of the table.

“What do you know?” Kaichi finally said after a quiet moment. He glanced at the spot where Kaeto was hiding. “And who else know of this?”

“It doesn’t matter what I know,” He countered. “what matters is what I _don’t_ know.”

Kaichi glared at him but Asakari continued.

“Three people, including myself and two of my trustworthy retainers, know of this precarious situation.”

The old man grimaced at him, not bothering to hide his displeasure of the situation presented at him. Kaichi drank all of his tea before heaving out a weary sigh and Asakari could practically read the old man’s thoughts. _Sake would sound wonderful right now._

“Kohana is truly my child,” He started. “but I’m afraid her roots are better left untouched, no matter how diluted her blood is.”

 _She has Senju blood, a little bit of it_ is what Asakari understood from his words and he couldn’t help but agree that sake would sound wonderful right now instead of this goddamn flower smelling tea.

* * *

_“Sakura-chan!” She saw a blond boy bound up to her in an ugly orange jumpsuit. “Ne, ne, Sakura-chan!”_

_She felt a vein throb on her forehead. “Stop shouting at my ear, idiot!”_

_The boy laughed at her, all sunshine and clear skies. Despite her irritated words, Sakura felt calm at his presence. Without her permission, the loud boy dragged her to seat at the stone bench by the side of the road underneath a cherry blossom tree. She didn’t fight back and let her be dragged. She felt at peace._

_They sat down and Sakura was disturbed at how quiet the young boy was. She blinked and for a moment she saw a man, an older man with the same messy blond hair styled into something less unruly than the boy’s and a face far too grim for her liking. Her heart sped up and she felt like choking. She blinked and it was gone. The bright, smiling boy was still by her side and her heart calmed at that fact._

_“Ne, Sakura-chan, I- uh- I just wanted to-” His eyebrows furrowed and she restrained the laughter she was tempted to let out at the ridiculous serious look he had. It felt weird to see it on his face. Something niggled at the back of her head._

_“What are you here for, Na-” The word was cut off from her lips and she heard static. Sakura frowned, what was happening?_

_“Sakura-chan,” The boy nudged her out of her thoughts. “I just wanted to see you.”_

_Suddenly it started raining and Sakura was so startled that she stood up. It was just clear skies seconds ago! Where did the rain come from? Sakura saw the harsh raindrops falling from the skies but she didn’t feel anything land on her. She stretched her hands, horror flickered in her chest at the sight of the water going through her hands._

_“I wanted to see how you were doing.” The blond boy at her side continued, not fazed by the rain but Sakura could see how it was touching him. How it was making him wet and heavy and this time Sakura sat closer to the boy. He must be terribly cold._

_“What are you really doing, Naruto?” The words flowed from her before she could think and the name finally came out of her mouth, she was as familiar with it like it was her own, and she felt warm just by saying it. That warmth quickly flew out the window when she tried touching Naruto’s shivering shoulder’s only to pass through. Dread filled her up and she felt terror tremble on her skin._

_Naruto looked at her with shorter, cropped hair and a larger body dressed in white robes fashioned with flames, pained crazed eyes staring at her petrified state._

_“Making sure you don’t forget.”_

* * *

Sakura woke up heaving, her eyes blown wide and her blanket jerkily shoved away from her shoulders. A scream tore from her throat but she didn’t hear anything. She’s drowning and the rain wasn’t stopping, and she’s so _cold_. Sounds flooded her ears at the same time she was becoming deaf at the silence. Sakura blindly grabbed at her blankets and clutched it _tightly_ , anchoring herself somewhat but _she still couldn’t breathe the air just won’t go in her lungs properly._

“-kura! Sakura! Sakura- _hime!_ ” Warm hands tugged on her shoulders and Sakura’s vision was filled with red. She blinked and Sakura felt the wetness of her tears on her face. She didn’t even notice she was crying. She saw Rokku’s wild eyes look at her, panic on his face and Sakura winced at the mess she made. Rokku usually looked calm, his grey eyes never nervous and face always in stone. For a brief moment, Sakura thought of him to be an imposter and it must’ve been obvious with how she flinched away at the sight of him.

Rokku let go of her immediately.

“Sakura-chan,” She heard a sob from her right and Sakura could never say no to her sister’s voice so she looked and her heart broke at Mito’s worried stricken face.

She was still hyperventilating, her breaths coming in short gasps that were heard to let out and breathe in. There was a sharp pain shooting somewhere in her torso but she tried to ignore it. She didn’t need to worry _anyone_ right now, not when everyone in the clan was already in a disarray with the council meeting regarding her departure in four years. She needed to stop crying, to stop shaking, _to stop hyperventilating because she’s being so weak right now and no one should put up with her mess, she should stop being such a burden, always the useless one in the team, always the-!_

“Sakura-hime,” Rokku called her gently, slowly placing his hand on her back and rubbing circles there. “breathe, Sakura-hime. Breathe.”

She hiccuped and her short breaths didn’t stop but they were becoming longer with each passing circle Rokku rubbed on her back. Mito looked like she was about to cry, a few tears already flowing down her face, and Sakura realized it was her sister’s hand she was gripping so tightly. She let go immediately, fearing the pain she must’ve inflicted damaged Mito’s hand, but her sister was quick to chase her retreating hand into her own and hold it in a tight manner similar to what she did to her.

It was quiet and Sakura could only hear the sound of her harsh breathing and of the rain falling around the village. After a few minutes, she was finally able to breathe properly through her nose but Rokku was still smoothening out her back with a steady circular motion.

_“-don’t forget.”_

Sakura winced and Mito’s frown deepened. She moved to wrap her sister in her blanket and Sakura stayed still to let Mito do what she wanted. Rokku stopped rubbing her back but stayed kneeling where he was at her left side.

“Sakura-chan,” Mito started slowly and pain prickled Sakura’s eyes at the way she was called.

_“Sakura-chan!”_

“-are you okay?” Mito grimaced at her choice of words before hurryingly following it up. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Sakura was quiet, an ugly part of her told her to just shut up, but she tried to offer a smile.

“Not now…” Her words were slow and it made Mito look even more worried. She wasn’t looking at Rokku but by the burning hole at the back of her head, Sakura could imagine how his mind must be furiously worried about her fuck up. “later. I- I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

“Okay,” Her sister exhaled. “okay. You can tell me later, Sakura-chan.”

Sakura took one shy glance at Rokku but found his piercing grey eyes unbearable so she looked away quickly enough. She quietly held out her other hand to him though and he took it gently in his. That made Sakura’s next words easier to say.

“Please don’t tell Otou-san.” Mito tightened her hold on her hand but Sakura turned to her and pleaded with her eyes. She sighed and nodded her head, her red hair moving along.

“Later then,” Mito laid her other hand on top of the other one that held her hand. “we can tell Papa later, hm?”

Sakura frowned but nodded her head. She steeled her frantic heart and looked at Rokku, willing herself to not look away from his familiar dark grey eyes Sakura couldn’t place.

It took a minute too long but Rokku sighed, his face in an uncharacteristically tired look with his eyebrows furrowed. With one hand still holding hers, he pinched the bridge of his nose and deeply breathed in. Sakura’s hand became clammy, this was her fault _her fault because she was weak and she made a mess of things, things could’ve been so peaceful but she just- just had to-_

“Sakura-hime,” A hand was suddenly above her head, feather-light touching her petal hair. “I promise not to tell Asakari-sama however I would like you to tell me whenever this happens.”

Sakura bit the inside of her cheeks, eyes looking anywhere but him and Rokku hands were suddenly on her chin forcing her to look at him despite Mito’s dismayed shout.

“I want you to _promise_ me, Sakura-hime, to _always_ tell me whenever this happens. Okay?”

Sakura could see the silent command of _stop biting your cheeks_ in his eyes so she did before nodding slowly. Rokku’s hands were calloused and rough on her face but she didn’t mind. At least he wasn’t- wasn’t angry at her for crying. He was angry at her because he was _worried_. At least Sakura would like to think so. Rokku still looked troubled but he let go of her chin with an apology in his eyes.

“Would you like some water, Sakura-hime?”

“Yes please,” Her throat felt like someone tore it apart then stitched it back together. Her reply was quiet and honestly, she didn’t want to let go of Rokku’s hands. The red-haired boy nodded at her, lips still pursed, then let go of her hand.

“I will be back shortly.” He disappeared quickly after that. Mito and she didn’t even see the shoji doors slide open. They just heard it slide close with a soft thump, signaling Rokku was out of the room.

The sound of rain hitting the earth outside made Sakura shiver. She didn’t even remember what she dreamt about, most of it anyway. She remembered Naruto, he was- he was talking to her about not forgetting something and shame was heavy and hot at the pit of her stomach. She never tried remembering them, except that one time when she wanted to remember her father and had tea with Kaichi.

Mito pulled their futons closer together, so much so that they’re overlapping each other, before sitting beside her with their shoulders touching. For once, her red-haired sister was quiet and she appreciated it. Her presence was a warm, steady thing to her current predicament and Sakura was able to close her eyes. Her tears once again slipping out when she remembered Naruto’s face, his voice, so real that she didn’t know if it was a memory or just a weird, depressing dream. If so she wished she'd have more dreams to come, so at least she could see her friends' faces one more time.

_“I wanted to see you.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey hey hey!
> 
> So yeah I'm still alive! Just had reviews for my upcoming college entrance exams and dammit it was hectic! Honestly, I should be studying but at the same time, I finally found myself some inspiration to finalize this chapter.
> 
> So what do you think of my characters? Each one has their own side story that Sakura would obviously involve herself in but that comes later I suppose. How's my writing? Good? Awful? Any suggestions to make? How's the dialogue? Not too boring I hope. Do I use too many adverbs and adjectives or do I use too little? Do you guys get the scene easily or is too hard to understand?
> 
> I read all your comments and I really love receiving feedback! Every comment I receive makes me want to write more, because I feel like I'm not alone in loving this story.
> 
> Anyways, expect Senju kids in the next chapter! Guess what event? I'm telling anyways, its Mito and Sakura's birthday! And since Senju are canonically cousins with Uzumaki they'd send an entourage. Also maybe some Uchiha kids showing up in the following chapters.
> 
> Which character do you want Sakura to interact with when she's at sea? Maybe some Suna people that reminds her of the Sabaku siblings? Or some Kiri swordsmen that reminds her of Zabuza and Suigetsu? 
> 
> Thank you so much for reading my story and I would love to read your thoughts.  
> Leave a comment and maybe some kudos!
> 
> Till next time. Maybe second week of September.


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